prince harry wounded© Photo: Getty Images

Prince Harry's 'debilitating' injury he pushed through

The Duke of Sussex was the walking wounded during a trip to Antarctica

Wellness Editor
January 30, 2023

Prince Harry is known as something of an action man; the royal spent 10 years in the army and is a talented polo and rugby player.

However, in his bombshell memoir, Spare, the Duke of Sussex revealed that even he isn't immune to injury, sharing details of an excruciating ailment that left him struggling to walk.

WATCH: Why Prince Harry was the last senior royal to serve in the army

Speaking of a visit to Antarctica for a trek, Harry wrote that on the morning they were set to embark on the already difficult walk, he recalled he'd recently broken his toe on a weekend away with his friends.

"As we began walking remembered: 'Oh, yeah, my toe's broken.' Just recently, in fact. A boys' weekend in Norfolk. We drank and smoked and partied till dawn, and then, while trying to reassemble one of the rooms we'd rearranged, I dropped a heavy chair with brass wheels onto my foot."

© Photo: Getty Images

Prince Harry had a broken toe while on a trek in Antarctica

Speaking of the pain he felt, Harry wrote: "Silly injury. But debilitating. I could barely walk," before adding: "No matter, I was determined not to let the team down."

REVEALED: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's future plans revealed ahead of King Charles' coronation

Harry vowed not to moan, neither about the pain of his broken toe, nor his fatigue, as he was walking with others in worse circumstances, including one soldier with no legs, and another who was blind.

© Photo: Getty Images

Prince Harry struggled throughout the trek

"Not one whinge would be heard from me, I vowed," Harry continued.

The Duke of Sussex detailed another excruciating injury in his book, which he suffered during a military training day with Prince William, which saw him join the army later than planned.

"In one exercise we scurried down a flight of metal stairs. Someone cut the lights, to make it more interesting, I suppose. In the pitch dark, four steps from the bottom, I fell, landed on my left knee, which was immediately impaled on a fixed bolt sticking out of the floor," Harry wrote.

RELATED: Where is Meghan Markle? Royal keeps low-profile following Spare release

"Blinding pain washed over me. I managed to get up, keep going, finish the drill. But at the end of the exercise we jumped off the boat's helipad, into the water, and I found my knee wasn't working," Harry continued.

"My whole leg wasn't working. When I got out of the water and stripped off the dry suit, Willy looked down and turned pale. My knee was gushing blood. Paramedics were there within minutes. The palace announced some weeks later that my entry into the Army would be postponed. Indefinitely."

Harry went on the reveal that while he rested with his leg iced and elevated, the palace communications team told the papers that he had injured his knee playing rugby.

Royally obsessed? Listen to our brand new podcast on all things royal

Subscribe to Hello Happiness, for your ultimate guide on how to be happier.

Transform your routine with expert advice from our beauty and wellness team

Email Address

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.

More Health & Fitness

See more