'A huge inspiration': Kate takes part in tyre-pulling challenge with record-breaking polar explorer

The Princess of Wales took part in a tyre-pulling challenge during a meeting with record-breaking Antarctic explorer Captain Harpreet Chandi.

The army officer, who in January broke the world record for the furthest unsupported solo polar expedition, put Kate through her paces during a visit to Landau Forte College, in her home city of Derby.

The royal pulled two 44lb (20kg) tyres attached to a harness in the exercise, used during Capt Chandi’s three years of training to simulate the weight of her sledge.

After finishing the challenge, Kate joked: “I definitely need to do some training.”

During the visit, Kate also heaped praise on the “incredible” Capt Chandi, who has earned the nickname “Polar Preet” for her Antarctic challenges.

During her most recent expedition, 34-year-old Capt Chandi covered 922 miles (1,484km) in 70 days and 16 hours, skiing for up to 15 hours a day on as little as five hours of sleep.

She also pulled her kit and supplies – which weighed around 19 stone (120kg) – through winds of up to 60mph and in temperatures as low as -30C (-22F).

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But, in doing so, she beat the previous world record of 907 miles (1,459km), set in 2015 by fellow soldier Henry Worsley, a retired lieutenant colonel.

Kate, who has long been an advocate of outdoor activities and is joint president of the Scouts, became a patron of the challenge at the end of October.

Speaking about the feat, the princess said: “I just think it’s incredible, what you’ve been able to achieve.

“Being by yourself… as humans we are meant to connect and be with each other, and being on your own all that time is really challenging.”

During Wednesday’s visit, Kate and Capt Chandi gave talks to several girls from the school, before presenting an award to Year 10 pupil Simrat Soggi, one of 11 winners of a national competition to design a logo that could feature on Capt Chandi’s sledge for much of her expedition.

They also then spoke to Year 11, 12 and 13 pupils about the importance of mental wellbeing and resilience.

Speaking to pupils, Kate said: “(Capt Chandi) has been a huge inspiration to me and it’s been great to see her journey and what she has been able to achieve in the year she has been working towards this incredible goal.

“I really hope it inspires you all to believe in yourself, to push boundaries and to really work on your own resilience because there are such strong messages that really help support your emotional and mental wellbeing.”

The record-breaking journey was Capt Chandi’s second polar exploration, having become the first person from an ethnically diverse background to embark on a solo expedition to the South Pole in January last year.

She completed the challenge while on a period of leave from her army role, having joined the Army Reserve at the age of 19 and the regular army at 27.

She is now based in Buckinghamshire, working as a physiotherapist at a regional rehabilitation unit, helping injured soldiers with training and rehabilitation, and is set to resume work in April.

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