Prince Harry and his girlfriend Cressida Bona will be apart for five weeks as the royal jets to the South Pole for a month to compete in the Walking With the Wounded expedition..

Co-founder of the organization, Ed Parker, told People magazine the separation will be "tough" for the couple.

"He won't get to speak to his girlfriend for about four weeks...but it's the same for everyone." Parker said, "There's no airs and graces. He's a soldier, he really gets who we are and what we are trying to do , and we're lucky to have him on board, especially for the whole five weeks."

Prince Harry left Bonas behind and flew out of London's Heathrow Airport on Sunday, Nov. 17, heading to Cape Town, South Africa. From there he will travel to Antarctica, according to Entertainmentwise. The royal, who is a member of the United Kingdom's Team Glenfiddich, was joined by 12 other troops who have been hurt while fighting in a war.

At the airport before take-off, one of his team members Ibrar Ali said Prince Harry's royal status hasn't gained him any special treatment.

"As we've said throughout, he's a great team member and just fits in really well so no different to anyone else," said Ali, who lost his right arm during an explosion in Afghanistan in 2007.

Prince Harry acknowledged injured soldiers in his speech during a farewell ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 14.

"All the men and women have achieved so much just to get here, let alone actually walk to the South Pole. It's just a wonderful display of courage on their part," he said.

Prince Harry and the servicemen and women will trek 208 miles for 16 days, from Nov. 30 to Dec. 16, to raise funds for military charities around the globe, Daily Mail reported. Team Glenfiddich will be going against two other teams.

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Prince Harry Cressida Bonas