King Charles recalls 1988 Swiss avalanche that claimed a close friend's life

At a ceremony for the Assynt Mountain Rescue Team's half-century milestone at the Castle of Mey, King Charles III reflected on a 1988 avalanche that almost killed him and killed Major Hugh Lindsay, a former royal equerry and close confidant. The slide struck the group while they were skiing off-piste above Klosters, Switzerland, killing Lindsay and badly injuring Patti Palmer-Tomkinson. Charles, then Prince of Wales, and other companions survived and later assisted rescuers in retrieving the bodies.

Lindsay's wife Sarah was six months pregnant; their daughter Alice was later born, with Charles serving as godfather. The king has seldom spoken of the event, though he once wrote about his difficulty understanding why he survived. Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson were on the same trip but avoided the disaster by staying at their chalet.