The Crown star Dominic West has admitted he fell out with Prince Harry after ‘saying too much’ at a press conference on their return from an Antarctic charity trip, after which they did not speak again.
West joined the Duke of Sussex on an ambitious trip as they both took part in the charity event Walking With the Wounded in 2013.
In a ‘welcome home’ press conference attended by West, he told how the then-29-year-old Prince had skills which helped the Commonwealth team on the trip, including mucking in to help build the latrines.
But after being asked about how the team celebrated at the end of the trip, West admitted that Harry drank champagne out of a prosthetic leg and made ‘eye-wateringly rude jokes’.
He says Prince Harry did not speak to him again after the press conference, although the Duke has previously admitted to watching The Crown, in which West plays Charles.
Dominic West joined the Duke of Sussex on an ambitious trip as they both took part in the charity event Walking With the Wounded in 2013
The participants each trekked for three weeks in total to reach the South Pole
West portrays then-Prince Charles in the Netflix hit show The Crown, which Harry has previously said he watches
The Wire actor told the press conference at the time that Harry was ‘a really cool guy, very much part of the team’.
He continued: ‘He would often reach the meeting point before the rest of his men and would build these incredibly lavish, castellated latrines, with battlements and loo roll holders.
‘It must have taken him 40 minutes at least to build, they were just fabulous. I would often sit on the latrine thinking ‘this is a royal flush in every way!’
‘Harry also massively helped me out when I was struggling with my skis at first. He was a great guy.’
But it was when he was pushed on the celebrations on reaching the South Pole that West slipped up.
He said: ‘Two of the Aussie guys stripped naked and ran round the pole but most of us, Harry included, just went on a two-day bender with the Icelandic truck drivers who had brought some lethal home brew with them.
‘There was a lot of liqueur drunk.
It was when he was pushed on the celebrations on reaching the South Pole that West slipped up
Prince Harry takes down his tent as he joins the Walking with the Wounded team
The Wire actor told the press conference at the time that Harry was ‘a really cool guy, very much part of the team’
Prince Harry and Dominic West (pictured) became close during the gruelling trek, but have not spoken since the press conference
‘We all drank champagne out of Duncan’s (Slater, a double amputee injured in Afghanistan in 2009, who was on the British team) favourite prosthetic legs.’
West added: ‘Well he told some eye-wateringly rude jokes which for a non-soldier like me was pretty shocking!’
Speaking to Times Radio on Sunday, West said: ‘We sort of [lost touch because] I said too much in a press conference, and so, we didn’t speak after that.’
He added: ‘I think I was asked what we did. [And] what we did to celebrate when we got there and [I] probably said too much.’
Prince Harry maintained a more formal presence at the press conference in 2014, saying: ‘Inspiring others is one of the cornerstones of this charity.
‘To demonstrate to those who have suffered lifechanging injuries that anything is still possible.
‘That this truly unbelievable achievement by everyone behind me… will remind everybody that they can achieve anything they want to.
‘Our wounded, injured and sick [servicemen] they simply want to be treated the same way as before they were injured. With respect.
West told Times Radio that he ‘said too much’ about Prince Harry’s celebrations on reaching the South Pole
‘For some the journey may be more of a challenge and it is up to us to make it as easy for them as we can. We can do that with training, with employment, or even with adventure.
‘If anyone has the ability to give these guys and girls a stepping stone as regards employment, then please do. You won’t regret it.’
His teammate Duncan Slater added: ‘Harry was a real team player. There was always something to do and he was always instigating it.
‘There were so many wind ups. He probably spread himself quite thin. He would spend time with each team every day.
‘He was always making sure he mixed, bringing everyone to the fore. It was very nice as he was as tired as everybody else. ‘
Referring to the champagne antics, he said: ‘We decided to use my legs as a primitive ice bucket. I don’t know why we did it, but we did!’
The Walking With The Wounded Virgin Money South Pole Allied Challenge 2013 saw the servicemen and women skiing across 208 miles of some of the most inhospitable conditions known to man, with temperatures of up to minus 50 degrees and biting winds.
Every man and woman – some of whom were double amputees – also had to pull a custom built arctic sledge known as a pulk, weighing in excess of 11 stone, carrying their kit.
The terrain was so challenging that organisers were forced to suspend the race element of the trek and group all the competitors together for safety.
The teams spent a total of four weeks in Antarctica, including the acclimatisation period and end of the expedition. The trek began on December 1st with the teams reaching the South Pole on Friday December 13th.
Prince Harry celebrated their arrival, declaring: ‘I think we’ll be having a few whiskies tonight!’
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