Prince of Wales congratulates HMS Oardacious Valkyries on historic Atlantic row

The Prince of Wales has sent his congratulations to HMS Oardacious Valkyries, the Royal Navy's first all-female crew to complete the World's Toughest Row.

"It is no mean feat to conquer the Atlantic; the determination and the resilience that you have all demonstrated, combined with such worthy causes is truly inspiring," Prince William said in a letter to the team.

The Portsmouth-based team crossed the Atlantic in 46 days, 12 hours, and 26 minutes, finishing the gruelling 3,000-mile (4,800km) challenge from the Canary Islands to Antigua.

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The crew – Petty Officer Aaby Aldridge, Lieutenant Commander Ali Aindow, Lieutenant Commander Izzy Rawlinson, and Lieutenant Commander Nic Hall – became the fourth HMS Oardacious team to complete the race, but the first all-women team to do so.

Prince William, who has been associated with HMS Oardacious since 2023, sent a message of support following their achievement.

Team member Izzy Rawlinson had previously rowed with him last year, strengthening his connection with the initiative.

HMS Oardacious Valkyries were one of four military teams, including Team V3nture, Oarsome Army Educators, and Force Atlantic, to take on the challenge, which saw 38 teams from 19 nations row across the Atlantic.

The rowers endured weeks of punishing conditions, battling sleep deprivation, unpredictable weather, and physical exhaustion.

In a statement on social media, the team expressed their gratitude for the royal recognition, calling it "a huge honour to have this support from the Prince".