In commemoration of the Seventieth Anniversary of the Ascent of Mount Everest, His Majesty sent a message, which was read out by Sue Leyden at the Royal Geographical Society on June 13, 2023. The event witnessed the presence of more than 30 family members of the 1953 expedition, along with ambassadors, members of the mountaineering...Read More

On 29 May 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Mount Everest during a British expedition led by John Hunt. It was a stunning achievement that inspired people around the globe. Fifty-nine years later in 2012, I had the good fortune of being invited to join the organising committee for a series...Read More

Queen Elizabeth II, the Coronation and Everest 1953 Queen Elizabeth II has sadly died and with her passing has gone a ‘constant’ from our lives. She was a global icon of tremendous standing and made many important connections with people from across Britain, the Commonwealth and beyond. However, it was the astounding serendipity of the...Read More

In February 1956 The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award was established. It would be for boys aged 15-18. It was administrated, and largely first designed by John Hunt, in conjunction with the Duke of Edinburgh and Kurt Hahn. Following the successful ascent of Mount Everest, John Hunt retired from the army, having been invited by the...Read More