North Pole Trip with Walking With The Wounded

In April 2011, Prince Harry joined a team of wounded British military veterans taking part in the Walking With The Wounded (WWTW) North Pole expedition, helping raise awareness and funds for injured service personnel. Serving as Expedition Patron for the charity, Prince Harry participated in the opening stage of the Arctic trek alongside four former servicemen who had sustained serious injuries during military operations. The expedition began in early April 2011 and aimed to demonstrate the physical and mental resilience of wounded veterans through one of the world’s most demanding endurance challenges. The team traveled across Arctic ice toward the geographic North Pole while pulling sleds containing supplies and survival equipment in extreme weather conditions. Prince Harry joined the group for the first five days of the journey before returning to the United Kingdom because of military commitments. During his time on the expedition, he camped on drifting Arctic ice, trained alongside the veterans, and took part in daily travel across difficult terrain. The prince later described the experience as physically exhausting and emotionally inspiring because of the determination shown by the injured servicemen. The four wounded veterans participating in the expedition had sustained life changing injuries during service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Walking With The Wounded organized the challenge to support rehabilitation programs and employment assistance for injured former members of the British Armed Forces. The expedition also attracted significant public and media attention in Britain due to Prince Harry’s direct involvement. At the time, Prince Harry was serving as an officer in the British Army and had already become closely associated with charities supporting wounded military personnel. His participation in the North Pole challenge reflected his growing public commitment to veterans’ recovery initiatives, a theme that would later continue through projects such as the Invictus Games. The Walking With The Wounded team successfully reached the North Pole later in April 2011, completing the expedition after weeks of difficult Arctic travel and fundraising activities. Why This Moment Matters Prince Harry’s participation in the North Pole expedition helped bring widespread attention to the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The expedition also strengthened his long term public association with military welfare and support for injured servicemen and women.