King Charles III discussed a near-death experience from an avalanche that occurred in 1988, during a gathering with the Assynt Mountain Rescue Team at the Castle of Mey in Scotland on August 1, 2026. The event commemorated the 50th anniversary of the rescue group. Charles, who was the Prince of Wales at the time, described his survival as 'a close thing.' Ben Dyson, the leader of the rescue team, noted that the king's memories of the incident remain vivid and have influenced his appreciation for the team's work.
The avalanche struck on March 10, 1988, while Charles and friends were skiing off-piste in Klosters, Switzerland. The incident resulted in the death of Major Hugh Lindsay, a close friend of Charles and former equerry to Queen Elizabeth II. Another skier, Patti Palmer-Tomkinson, sustained serious injuries. Charles and others were able to escape the avalanche and later returned to assist in the rescue efforts. Lindsay was pronounced dead at a hospital in Davos. His wife was six months pregnant at the time of his death.
Charles has rarely spoken publicly about the tragedy in the years since, but he previously expressed in a letter his difficulty in understanding why he survived while Lindsay did not. Following the incident, Charles stepped away from skiing, stating during a visit to England in 2025 that he believed his skiing days were over.