Prince Harry and His Beard Finally Get to Starting Line of South Pole Trek

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And they're off! Almost!

Prince Harry, looking more rugged than ever now that his beard has grown in a bit, was finally able to make it yesterday to the official starting point of his 208-mile trek across the South Pole after he and his 12 teammates were delayed by a blizzard.

The royal and the former military servicemen he's making the journey with had been snowed in at Novo base camp in Antarctica and arrived at the start line, about 87 degrees south of Novo, a week behind schedule.

But at least it has given Harry more time to grow a natural face-warmer before he's, er, faced with even harsher elements, including minus-50-degree (Celcius) temperatures and 70- to 90-kilometer-an-hour winds.

The 29-year-old redhead's scruffiness made quite a splash at base camp among the reporters documenting his adventure, as did his joke on Monday to Sky News that older brother Prince William is jealous of him, because he's off on an adventure and Will is at home with a crying baby.

Harry said that his teammates, all of them former members of the military who lost a limb while on active duty in Afghanistan, "absolutely loved" going to Buckingham Palace to meet his grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

BBC

"Every single person who takes part in this challenge is extraordinary," he said of his fellow South Pole Allied Challenge trekkers, who are raising money for other injured servicemen and women. "The fact these guys have made it to this point is extraordinary and I count myself incredibly lucky to be part of it."

The teams are expected to push off this weekend—weather permitting, of course.