King Charles has reflected on one of the most traumatic moments of his life, recalling the devastating avalanche that nearly claimed his own life almost four decades ago during a special gathering in Scotland.
The King welcomed volunteers from the Assynt Mountain Rescue Team to the Castle of Mey over the weekend as they celebrated 50 years of dedicated service.
The reception honoured the 40-member volunteer organisation, with 11 rescuers attending on behalf of the team.
He spoke about the 1988 avalanche in the Swiss resort of Klosters, describing the terrifying incident as “a close thing.”
The tragedy unfolded on 10 March 1988 while the then Prince Charles was skiing off-piste with friends high above Klosters. Without warning, an avalanche swept through the group, killing his close friend Major Hugh Lindsay and seriously injuring Patti Palmer-Tomkinson.
Charles, together with several companions and their guide, managed to escape the path of the snow.
The loss of Major Lindsay, who had served as an equerry to Queen Elizabeth II, left a lasting mark on the future King.
In the immediate aftermath, he rushed back towards the avalanche site alongside rescuers, desperately digging through the snow in an effort to reach those trapped beneath it.
The royal skiing holiday ended immediately, with Charles returning to the chalet where the late Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson had been staying before the party flew home to Britain.
Speaking after the reception, Assynt Mountain Rescue Team leader Ben Dyson revealed that the King reflected on the incident while discussing the risks rescue volunteers face every time they answer a call.
“He said, ‘It was a close thing,'” Dyson recalled, and that the King’s own experience has given him a genuine understanding of the dangers encountered by mountain rescue teams.
The discussion also turned to the future of rescue work, with Charles expressing enthusiasm for new technology, including drones, which are increasingly being used to help locate missing people and support difficult search operations in remote terrain.
2026-08-04 21:37:00
