Prince Harry Endures Deep Freeze Before Icy Race

He camped out in sub-zero temperatures to prepare for a charity race to the South Pole

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Darren Staples / AP

Britain's Prince Harry warms his hands after a cold chamber training exercise with the Walking with the Wounded South Pole Allied Challenge 2013

As part of his training for a 208-mile toboggan race to the South Pole, Prince Harry is making sure he can take the cold.

The fourth in line to the British throne spent the night camping in a sub-zero freezer at an army test facility in Warwickshire, U.K., along with four teammates who lost limbs fighting in Afghanistan. The team spent 20 hours in the deep freeze, subjected to temperatures of -35C and winds of 45 MPH, the BBC reported. The cold weather race is Harry’s second with Walking with the Wounded, a charity that raises money for those injured at war. In 2011, the prince trekked to the North Pole with his team.

“He’s experienced at this, having spent some time at the North Pole also,” Maj. Kate Philp, who lost a leg in the line of duty, told the BBC. “He knows what he’s doing. He’s got his military training… so he’s a good extra pair of hands.”

The group will compete against injured soldiers from the United States and the British Commonwealth in November in the South Pole Allied Challenge, pullingĀ  custom-built arctic toboggans. The 208-mile race is expected to last about 15 days.

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