King Charles has opened up about the terrifying moment he nearly lost his life in a massive avalanche nearly four decades ago, admitting, "It was a close thing."
The 77-year-old monarch made the remarks while hosting members of the Assynt Mountain Rescue Team in Scotland earlier this month, praising their dangerous work and celebrating the group's 50th anniversary.
The 1988 Avalanche
The avalanche struck in 1988 while Charles and his group were skiing off-piste at a resort in Switzerland.
The disaster claimed the life of his close friend, Major Hugh Lindsay, and left another member of the group seriously injured.
Charles escaped unharmed and later returned with others to help dig the victims out from under the snow.
Lindsay, a former aide to Queen Elizabeth II, was taken to a hospital, where he died.
Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson were also on the ski trip but were safely back at their chalet when the avalanche hit.
The experience left a lasting impact on Charles, who announced last year that his skiing days were behind him.
