BREAKING NEWS: Duchess Sophie hits the slopes in ultimate heatwave hack
The Duchess of Edinburgh avoided the soaring temperatures by visiting a Snow Centre on Monday.
The Duchess of Edinburgh during a visit to the Armed Forces Para-Snowsport Team (Image: Aaron Chown/PA Wire)
While Britain basked in 28C heat, the Duchess of Edinburgh took to the slopes in an indoor snow centre with temperatures as low as -6C. Wrapped up in a bright blue puffer jacket, warm white tracksuit bottoms and thick ski gloves, Sophie showed off her ski skills by speeding down the snow in the ultimate heatwave hack.
The 61-year-old visited the Snow Centre Hemel Hempstead to mark being named royal patron of the Armed Forces Para-Snowsport Team (AFPST) and she watched athletes being put through their paces and met those behind the scenes, including coaches, volunteers and board members. While temperatures outside reached highs of 25C in the Hertfordshire town on Monday as the UK braces for its fifth heatwave of the year, inside the centre, the mercury plunged to a chilly -6C to preserve the quality of the snow for skiing and snowboarding.
As well as confidently taking to the slopes at the UK’s largest lesson slope that uses real snow, the Duchess tried some target practice with a laser rifle.
AFPST supports wounded, injured and sick serving personnel and veterans through adaptive skiing, snowboarding and Nordic disciplines – helping them rebuild confidence, resilience and community, and creating pathways into coaching, competition and adventure.
Project Vidda is one of APFST’s flagship initiatives for the coming year, which will see a team of amputee veterans undertake an Arctic expedition, crossing the Norwegian Vidda plateau unsupported.
Elizabeth Winfield, AFPST’s chief operation officer, welcomed the royal guest and introduced her to the breadth of the charity’s programmes.
The Duchess of Edinburgh showed off her skiing skills (Image: Aaron Chown/PA Wire)
She said after the visit: “The duchess’s patronage marks a defining moment in AFPST’s journey.
“It strengthens our ability to grow, to reach more veterans and to deliver the life-changing programmes that sit at the heart of our charity.
“Having Her Royal Highness meet our athletes first-hand brings powerful visibility to their resilience and achievements and reinforces why projects like Vidda are so vital.”
