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London - Fresh from his brother's bachelor party, Prince Harry is hitting the ice, taking part in the first five days of a charity hike to the North Pole by British veterans.
Palace officials say the 26-year-old royal is accompanying a group of wounded soldiers on their 320km trek, an attention-grabbing stunt to raise money for a British veterans' charity.
Harry was all smiles after touching down on Tuesday in Norway's Svalbard archipelago, far above the Arctic Circle north of the mainland. He said he was ready for the challenge - although perhaps not as ready as his colleagues.
"I haven't had as much time to train," he told Britain's Press Association news agency in Longyearbyen, Norway. "But today, to their huge amusement, they're going to see me on a pair of, whatever they're called, skis, this afternoon. So it should be entertaining for all of us."
Four servicemen
The charity's co-founders, Simon Dalglish and Ed Parke, are taking part in the trip, as are four servicemen wounded in Afghanistan. They include Capt Martin Hewitt, 30, whose right arm was paralysed after being shot and Capt Guy Disney, 29, whose right leg was amputated below the knee after he was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.
Pvt Jaco Van Gass, 24, from South Africa, whose left arm was amputated and Sgt Stephen Young, 28, whose back was broken when his vehicle was blown up by a makeshift bomb, will also be joining them.
Leading the group was Norwegian polar guide Inge Solheim, who told Harry he would spend his first day of training hauling a 100kg sled across 12km of snow and ice, according to the Press Association.
Charity's patron
"It's going to be around minus 25 degrees Celsius today, so it's quite mild and good, nothing like we're going to get in the polar ocean," Solheim said as Harry winced. "Hopefully, out there we'll get minus 35 Celsius to minus 40 Celsius with good stable high pressure."
The Walking With The Wounded group hopes to raise £2m to help injured military personnel find work and peace of mind. Harry, who is training to be a full-time Army Air Corps helicopter pilot, is the charity's patron.
Harry was scheduled to return to Britain on April 5 to continue his military work. His brother, whose bachelor party he hosted only last weekend, is due to be married at London's Westminster Abbey on April 29. Harry will be the best man.
Palace officials say the 26-year-old royal is accompanying a group of wounded soldiers on their 320km trek, an attention-grabbing stunt to raise money for a British veterans' charity.
Harry was all smiles after touching down on Tuesday in Norway's Svalbard archipelago, far above the Arctic Circle north of the mainland. He said he was ready for the challenge - although perhaps not as ready as his colleagues.
"I haven't had as much time to train," he told Britain's Press Association news agency in Longyearbyen, Norway. "But today, to their huge amusement, they're going to see me on a pair of, whatever they're called, skis, this afternoon. So it should be entertaining for all of us."
Four servicemen
The charity's co-founders, Simon Dalglish and Ed Parke, are taking part in the trip, as are four servicemen wounded in Afghanistan. They include Capt Martin Hewitt, 30, whose right arm was paralysed after being shot and Capt Guy Disney, 29, whose right leg was amputated below the knee after he was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.
Pvt Jaco Van Gass, 24, from South Africa, whose left arm was amputated and Sgt Stephen Young, 28, whose back was broken when his vehicle was blown up by a makeshift bomb, will also be joining them.
Leading the group was Norwegian polar guide Inge Solheim, who told Harry he would spend his first day of training hauling a 100kg sled across 12km of snow and ice, according to the Press Association.
Charity's patron
"It's going to be around minus 25 degrees Celsius today, so it's quite mild and good, nothing like we're going to get in the polar ocean," Solheim said as Harry winced. "Hopefully, out there we'll get minus 35 Celsius to minus 40 Celsius with good stable high pressure."
The Walking With The Wounded group hopes to raise £2m to help injured military personnel find work and peace of mind. Harry, who is training to be a full-time Army Air Corps helicopter pilot, is the charity's patron.
Harry was scheduled to return to Britain on April 5 to continue his military work. His brother, whose bachelor party he hosted only last weekend, is due to be married at London's Westminster Abbey on April 29. Harry will be the best man.
