Prince Harry hits the ice for Polar charity trek

[March 29, 2011]  LONDON (AP) -- Fresh from his brother's bachelor party, Prince Harry is hitting the ice, taking part in the first five days of a charity hike to the North Pole by British veterans.

Palace officials say the 26-year-old royal is accompanying a group of wounded soldiers on their 200-mile (320-kilometer) trek, an attention-grabbing stunt to raise money for a British veterans' charity.

The Walking With The Wounded group hopes to raise 2 million pounds ($3.2 million) to help injured military personnel find work and peace of mind. Harry, who is training to be a full-time Army Air Corps helicopter pilot, is the charity's patron.

The prince meets up Tuesday with four injured soldiers, two charity founders and a polar guide in Longyearbyen, Norway, to begin training.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.