Prince William has expressed his pride in supporting Max Worsley, who will later this year attempt to complete an Antarctic expedition that claimed his father’s life. Max will ski 1,400km across Antarctica to the South Pole, following the same route his father, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Worsley, took on his final journey in 2015. Henry Worsley died shortly after being airlifted from the ice, having fallen just 30 miles short of his goal.
Max, accompanied by Norwegian adventurer Martin Nesse, will set out in November. The pair will ski entirely unsupported, battling temperatures as low as -40°C and hurricane-force winds. They will climb to 2,800m above sea level. Max plans to read from his father’s diary at the exact spots where it was written, saying, 'In one sense we will still be doing it together but the expedition is a lot bigger than just dad and me.'
Prince William, who was patron of Henry Worsley’s second and third expeditions, has now agreed to be patron of Max’s. '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,' the prince said. He highlighted the expedition’s aim to raise awareness of Antarctica’s importance to the planet and to inspire young people to protect the natural world.
The Onwards Expedition will support Prince William’s Earthshot Prize and the British Exploring Society. Max said it is 'a great honour' to have the Prince of Wales as patron. He hopes to inspire the next generation of explorers and highlight the fragility of Antarctica.
