The Prince of Wales has announced his patronage of an upcoming
expedition across Antarctica, and one with a personal twist.
Prince William
will support The Onwards Expedition, a forthcoming expedition
planned by Max Worsley, the son of Henry Worsley, an explorer who
trekked several times to the South Pole and who counted upon the future king as a patron of his final
expedition 10 years ago.
In a statement shared by Kensington Palace, Prince William said:
“I was immensely proud to have supported his father Henry, and
it is deeply moving to see Max skiing the same route ten years on,
demonstrating the same courage, determination and sense of purpose
that defined his father’s life.”
The Onwards Expedition will see Max and Martin Nesse, a
Norwegian adventurer, ski completely unsupported across 1,349
kilometres of Antarctica to the geographic South Pole. This will be
the same journey that Henry Worlsey attempted solo in 2016, and
which caused him to suffer exhaustion and severe dehydration,
leading to being airlifted out of Antarctica with only 30
kilometres before he finished the trek.
Henry Worlsey died of multiple organ failure from bacterial
peritonitis on 24 January 2016 and was posthumously awarded the
Polar Medal the following year for his many treks to the South
Pole.
At the time of his death, William said “[Henry] was a man
who showed great courage and determination and we’re incredibly
proud to be associated with him. Even after retiring from the Army,
Henry continued to show selfless commitment to his fellow
servicemen and women by undertaking this extraordinary Shackelton
solo expedition on their behalf.”
With The Onwards Expedition, Kensington Palace revealed that Max
will face temperatures of -40 Celsius, hurricane-force winds, and a
climb of 2,800 metres above sea level as they retrace Henry’s final
route.
“This expedition is not only a powerful tribute to Henry’s
legacy, but also a reminder of Antarctica’s vital importance to the
health of our planet,” Prince William added.
“Using this challenge to inspire young people to connect
with nature and understand the role they play in protecting it is
something I greatly admire, and I wish Max and Martin every success
as they prepare for this remarkable endeavour.”
The Onward Expedition will support Prince William’s Earthshot
Prize and the British Exploring Society via awareness and
fundraising efforts throughout the preparations and the trek. The
BBC is also following Max and Martin as they prepare, and will film
a documentary about the trek and Henry’s legacy.
“It is a great honour to have The Prince of Wales as Patron
for my Antarctic project, The Onwards Expedition, after the support
he so kindly gave my father for his final expedition,” Max
said in a statement shared by Kensington Palace.
The 60-day expedition will start at the Outer Coastal Zone of
Antarctica, which is north of Berkner Island, in November.
