Harry Waves Off Injured Servicemen Explorers

Harry bids wounded vets farewell at London airport

SPITSBERGEN, NORWAY - MARCH 29: Prince Harry (left) talks to team leader Inge Solheim as he joins the Walking with the Wounded team, who have gathered on the island of Spitsbergen - situated between the Norwegian mainland and the North Pole - for their last days of preparation before setting off to the North Pole by foot on March 29, 2011 in Spitsbergen, Norway. (Photo by David Cheskin/WPA Pool/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Inge Solheim;Prince Harry — Prince Harry on last year's WWW trip to the North Pole (David Cheskin, WPA Pool / Getty Images)

Prince Harry last night headed out to London’s Heathrow airport where he waved off a group wounded veterans attempting to climb the world’s highest mountain.
The Walking With The Wounded Everest Expedition comprises nine former servicemen, who will hike to base camp, and from there five of the group will trek all the way to the summit. The Prince, who last year joined another team from the charity walking to the North Pole, is the expedition patron, said that the soldiers were “Equipped with odd numbers of arms and legs, but staggering determination."

He added, "Their courage defies words. The expedition to The Himalayas - of which I am so proud to be Patron - is raising money to train and educate those with physical and cognitive injuries suffered in war to manage their transition into civilian employment. The premise is quite simple: a job equals security. They have given their all for our security. Security is the very least we as a nation, owe them.”