The British royal says Walking With the Wounded South Pole Allied Challenge is to 'meet a challenge head-on and overcome it,' while hopefully 'inspiring others to do the same.'
- Apr 20, 2013
AceShowbiz - Prince Harry, who is also a member of Britain's armed forces, clears his busy schedule to join wounded British soldiers on a charity trek to the North Pole. The expedition is to benefit Walking With the Wounded, an organization which helps rehabilitate injured troops.
He joins Sgt. Duncan Slater who lost both his legs in a 2009 blast in Afghanistan; Maj Kate Philp who lost her left leg after a 2008 bomb blast; Capt. Guy Disney who lost his right leg in a 2009 rocket attack; and Capt. Ibrar Ali who lost his right arm in a 2007 roadside bomb.
They will race against teams from the United States and Commonwealth countries. "It just remains for me to say to Soldier on Canada, Soldiers to Summits from the U.S. and Soldier on Australia: 'Welcome to the party'," he says. "As a member of the British team, I will have a brew (tea) on ready for you when you join us at the Pole."
He says the purpose of Walking With the Wounded South Pole Allied Challenge is to "meet a challenge head-on and overcome it," while hopefully "inspiring others to do the same." "Ladies and gentleman, these men and women have given their all in the cause of freedom, in our cause," he states. "That they should once again step into the breach - this time facing down the extreme physical and mental challenges of trekking to the South Pole - just underlines their remarkable qualities."
"So, what are these qualities? Courage, to be sure. Physical strength, endurance, a sense of comradeship, absolutely," he adds. "It's toughness of mind. An unquenchable spirit that simply refuses to say, 'I am beaten.' In a way it's something that can't be defined. You've either got it or you haven't."
In 2011, Prince Harry took part in a similar expedition to the North Pole but he had to leave early to attend Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding that was held summer that year.
