24 August,2012 07:51 AM IST | | Agencies
Prince Harry learned this week that what happens in Vegas, lives forever on the Internet after nude photos of the royal made headlines the world over.
And, now Ryan Lochte is opening up about his time with the Prince. Prior to Harry's private party, he was living it up poolside at the same place Ryan Lochte was celebrating his belated birthday. "His people came over to my table and said, âPrince Harry wants to meet you'," Ryan recounted on the Today show.
"I was like, âLet's meet him!' I went over there. I was fully clothed, and he says, âYou wanna race me in the pool?' I took off my shirt, jumped in and we started racing."
First impressions
And his first impressions of the Prince were super positive. "He's really a nice guy. Really talkative. He just wanted to meet me - and honestly, wanted to race me. I thought that was the coolest thing," Ryan chuckled.
Matt Lauer, the interviewer then asked if Harry extended Ryan an invite to his now-infamous game of strip billiards. "No, no, he never said anything like that. After our race, we went our separate ways," Ryan said before expressing his relief at not being asked to join.
"I'm kind of happy [he didn't invite me], I don't need that." While there have been a few drawbacks from their time together for Prince Harry, Ryan says it was an excellent experience - and one he's using as motivation! "After racing Prince Harry, I got that competitive edge in me, I want to get back in the water," said the Olympian.
Lochte also declared that his newfound celebrity status won't deter him from being in tip-top shape for the 2016 Rio Games. "The training that I've been doing these past eight years, I have a good background. I know I'm able to do other things I wasn't able to do before, like acting." u00a0
Royals furious at Prince Harry's handlers
Prince Harry's nude photos reportedly have the Royal Family fuming at both the prince and his handlers. Harry and his male friends invited several women they had just met back to Harry's VIP suite. Witnesses said that the prince's minders and security team did not ask the women to turn over their cell phones - royal mistake. Allegedly, when the women started taking pictures on their cell phones, one of Harry's minders casually told them, "Aw, c'monâ¦no photos." Even worse, the sources said that the handlers were enjoying the party more than protecting Harry. As the wild evening progressed, more photos were taken in plain sight of the prince's team, who allegedly did nothing.