Exclusive: Prince Harry's South Pole teammate on being stranded in Cape Town



November 21, 2013

Major Kate Philp, who will be trekking with Prince Harry to the South Pole later this month, has spoken to HELLO! Online about her feelings of anticipation ahead of the big race.Currently stranded in Cape Town, the three participating teams – Britain's Team Glenfiddich, Team Commonwealth and Team USA - have been waiting to fly out to Novo Airbase, located at the edge of the Antarctic continent, where they will acclimatise before beginning their 200-mile trek to the South Pole.The groups' flight was delayed due to poor weather conditions, but Kensington Palace has just confirmed that the teams will fly on Friday morning, a couple of days behind schedule. 

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and a woman in black jackets, smiling at an event.© Photo: Getty Images

"Hi, this is Kate from Team Glenfiddich," said the Major in an exclusive audio blog for

HELLO! Online

."We're on our last day in Cape Town having had a bit of an unexpected delay because of stormy weather down at Novo. "It might sound terribly ungrateful to say this but I don't think any of us are particularly enjoying it. "It is beautiful and sunny and we're being incredibly well-looked after in a lovely hotel which all sounds wonderful but certainly for me, the nerves are really setting in. And there's a sense of anticipation. "We couldn't be in a more opposite place, you know, the a code of difference, excuse the pun, of being in a warm, sunny, relaxed environment with good food and drink. "It's about as opposite as you could get to what we're about to go and experience.

Six individuals in black jackets, one holding a trophy, another is Prince Harry, smiling for a photo.© Photo: Getty Images

"I think everyone wants to just get on and do it now. Hopefully the weather is a bit calmer. It's certainly calm enough for us to fly into Novo tomorrow morning and then we can just start getting on with preparing for the last few days of acclimatisation. "And then get on with the experience and really just put everybody's kind, loving support into play now by actually going and doing our race to the South Pole. "So nervous, yes, apprehensive, yes, but keen to get on with it."

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