London: Prince Harry has spent over 20 hours in a giant freezer to simulate the freezing conditions he will face when he treks 208 miles to the South Pole this winter. The 29-year-old fourth in line to Britain's throne, who will race with a team of injured British servicemen and women against United States and Commonwealth groups in November, was subjected to ambient temperatures of minus 35 degree Celsius, with wind speeds of 45mph.

According to the 'Daily Telegraph', Harry joked that it was a cold night's sleep and when asked what the worst part had been, the patron of the Walking With The Wounded charity, said: "Going in." The prince's cold chamber was at Mira in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, where cars and military vehicles are put through their paces.

Alongside his four team-mates, all of whom have amputated limbs after sustaining injuries in Afghanistan, Harry practised with the clothing he will wear on the expedition and learned how to avoid frost-nip and frostbite in the inhospitable climate in Antarctica. After emerging from the huge testing facility, in which temperatures dropped to as low as minus 55 degree Celsius with wind-chill, the prince blew into his hands and rubbed them together to warm up as he chatted with his team-mates over tea and biscuits.

The charity race is expected to last around 15 days and the teams will trek between nine miles and 12 miles each day. Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgard will head the US team, while English actor Dominic West will race alongside the Commonwealth team. The prince, who took part in the Walking With The Wounded trek to the North Pole in 2011 for five days, is patron of the Antarctica expedition.