Prince Harry spends night in giant freezer for south pole trek

Royal subjected to -35C temperatures in preparation for trip to Antarctica to compete in south pole charity challenge

Link to video: Prince Harry spends night in giant freezer

Prince Harry has spent the night in a giant freezer in preparation for an expedition to the south pole this November.

The 29-year-old and four teammates spent the night in the artificial Antarctic environment, which is used to test and prepare military vehicles, before his trek for the Walking with the Wounded charity, in which he will race with a team of injured British servicemen and women against competitors from the US and the Commonwealth.

Prince Harry leaves a tent during a cold chamber training exercise with the Walking with the Wounded South Pole Allied Challenge British team. Photograph: Wpa Pool/Getty Images

The group experienced wind speeds of 45mph and temperatures of -35C (-31F). Temperatures inside the chamber in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, owned by the automotive consultancy MIRA, fell as low as -55C with wind chill.

Prince Harry warms his hands after emerging from the cold chamber. Photograph: Wpa Pool/Getty Images

The team concluded their training with tea and biscuits. Asked what the worst part had been, Harry, who is a patron of the charity, said: "Going in."

Prince Harry eats a biscuit after a cold chamber training exercise with the Walking with the Wounded team. Photograph: Wpa Pool/Getty Images

Harry's team includes 36-year-old Captain Ibrar Ali, who lost his right arm in 2007 after a roadside bomb explosion, and Major Kate Philp, 35, who had her left leg amputated after her armoured military vehicle hit an explosive in Helmand province, Afghanistan, in 2008.

Speaking about the prince, Philp said: "He knows what he's doing. He's got his military training  … so he's a good extra pair of hands."

She added: "It's great having Harry along, and hopefully he appreciates it too. It's a chance not just for him to experience all the practical stuff that we've just done as well, but for us to get together as a team and start to get to know each other better.

"It seemed very easy from the beginning, but it's certainly even more comfortable the more time we spend together."

During their stay at the facility, Harry and the Virgin Money South Pole Allied Challenge British team slept in large tents, cooked food and wore the clothing they will use during the expedition in late November. The team exercised using bikes and cross-trainers, and also practised climate adaptation techniques including frostnip and frostbite prevention.

The expedition is expected to take about 15 days, with participants aiming to travel 200 miles at a rate of between nine and 12 miles each day. The actors Dominic West and Alexander Skarsgard are also scheduled to take part in the challenge, with West accompanying the Commonwealth team and Skarsgard travelling with the US group.

Harry has previously been thwarted in attempts to take part in similar charity expeditions. He began a five-day Walking with the Wounded expedition to the north pole in 2011 but withdrew from the trek early in order to attend the wedding of his brother William. Last year, his military commitments prevented him from climbing Mount Everest on behalf of the charity.

Credits: http://www.theguardian.com/