Prince Harry has surprised a double amputee training for the Marathon des Sables.
The 32-year-old royal made a special visit to the Institute for Naval Medicine in Gosport on Monday (03.04.17) to meet with Duncan Slater, a double amputee training for the gruelling 150-mile race through the Sahara Desert.
The race sees competitors stretched to their limit as they are tasked with carrying all their food and equipment whilst taking on sand dunes and rugged hills, and Duncan intends to be the first double amputee to ever finish the notoriously difficult journey.
In a video captured by ITV News, Duncan can be seen running on a treadmill in an acclimatisation session in 40-degree heat when Prince Harry arrives.
Speaking to Duncan, Harry said: "Nice to see you. This is horrible. I wasn’t really in the neighbourhood but I had to come and see you sweating your balls off on a treadmill in a sauna. You’re looking good."
This year is the second time Duncan has attempted to complete the trek, as last year he came within 35 miles of the finish line but had to pull out after his stumps were rubbed raw.
Duncan is now armed with a new set of carbon fibre limbs, which he hopes will make all the difference.
He said: "You don’t feel that you’re like disabled, you don’t feel like you’re the amputee, you don’t feel like the guy that’s getting stared at you’re just part of the crowd that’s trying to get across the desert that day and it makes you feel sort of a lot better about things."
Duncan is using his place in the race to raise money for Walking with the Wounded, a charity which aims to retrain and re-skill wounded service men and women, and to support them in finding new careers outside the Military.
Prince Harry surprises double amputee
