The South Pole looks like a haven of peace and quiet for new dad the Duke of Cambridge, according to his cheeky younger brother Harry.
Prince Harry, 29, is currently in Antarctica, getting ready for a mammoth trek to the South Pole, skiing 12 hours a day in sub-zero temperatures for the Walking With The Wounded charity.
The prince has been snowed in at base camp for two days so he’s had plenty of time to reflect about his family back home and poke fun at his brother’s fatherly role to Prince George.
“My brother, I think he’s just quite jealous I managed to get away from a screaming child,” he told the UK Telegraph.
“My father was a little bit concerned, I obviously tried to keep him calm by saying the North Pole was the dangerous one because we were walking on frozen ocean, whereas this time, yes, there are crevasses – but hopefully the guys will take us around that.
“Apart from frostbite and stuff like that, you should be able to look after yourself.”
The prince is in good spirits, despite being days away from embarking on his biggest challenge yet and joked around about his attempt to get out of the trek with a broken toe.
“I obviously broke my toe trying to get out of the trip – that was a massive fail – friends of mine said, ‘You really need to go that step further and break your leg.’ I chose not to. But my toe is probably 95 per cent now so I’m fine.”
While Harry jokes about his toe, he takes his role as patron of the British team of amputee and wounded service personnel serious.
Racing against the US and the Commonwealth with a target of arriving in the South Pole by December 16, Harry’s team includes Duncan Slater, an amputee who lost both his legs when his vehicle was blown up while serving in Afghanistan.
“Even if I mention my toe, I just see Duncan just turn around and point and laugh at me or mock me,” the prince said.
“So whatever setbacks I’ve had it’s irrelevant among these guys and it always was going to be. There was no question of pulling out. I’ve got four limbs and I’m completely fine – well, almost fine up here.
“If I’m given the opportunity and it means helping these guys out, creating more awareness for them, then so what to minus 50 [-45°], so what to 90 mile an hour [145km/h] winds – occasionally you’ve got to put yourself through that for a good cause.”
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