Prince Harry Plays Tour Guide to Longtime Friend from the U.K. on a Bike Ride in California

Stephanie Petit
·2 min read
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Prince Harry
Prince Harry
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are hosting a friend visiting from the U.K.

The Duke of Sussex was spotted riding his bike around his California neighborhood of Montecito accompanied by longtime pal Charlie van Straubenzee on May 20. Harry, 37, was dressed casually for the outing in shorts, a jacket and a baseball cap with the California state symbol of a grizzly bear on it.

Harry and Charlie met at Ludgrove Prep School and have remained close ever since. Charlie and his wife Daisy Jenks were guests at Meghan and Harry's royal wedding in May 2018, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex then attended their nuptials in August of the same year — on Meghan's birthday.

Charlie and his older brother, Thomas, are also pals with Prince William. Thomas is one of Princess Charlotte's five godparents.

Both Prince Harry and Prince William have also been supportive of the charity set up in the name of the van Straubenzees' late brother, Henry, who died in a car accident in 2002. The Henry van Straubenzee Memorial Fund helps schools in Uganda.

Royals & Celebrities Attend The Rugby World Cup
Royals & Celebrities Attend The Rugby World Cup

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Charlie van Straubenzee and Prince Harry in 2015

In February, Prince Harry's cousin Princess Eugenie flew to California for a visit, where the pair attended the Super Bowl together.

Harry and Eugenie have had a close relationship since they were children.

"Out of all the Queen's grandchildren, Harry and Eugenie have one of the most natural connections. Like Harry, Eugenie is loyal, honest, and great fun. The two had many nights out together in London," authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand wrote in Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family. 

"Harry had always confided in his cousin when it came to the women in his life," the Scobie and Durand wrote. "Not only did he trust her implicitly, but friends say that she gives great advice and has always been 'beyond wise' for her years."

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex pose at the IGF Reception during day two of the Invictus Games The Hague 2020 at Zuiderpark on April 17, 2022 in The Hague, Netherlands.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex pose at the IGF Reception during day two of the Invictus Games The Hague 2020 at Zuiderpark on April 17, 2022 in The Hague, Netherlands.

Chris Jackson/Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

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Prince Harry and Meghan are heading to the U.K. next week — with son Archie Harrison and daughter Lilibet Diana — to join the royal family at Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, marking her historic 70-year reign. The trip will be the first time Lili, who was born in California last year, will visit her dad's homeland. She'll likely even celebrate her first birthday on June 4 during the trip.