Prince Charles’ horrendous near death accident was the most Googled thing about him last year—but have you heard of it?

Prince Charles' frightening near death avalanche accident has been the most Googled thing about him in the past year. 

• Prince Charles' avalanche accident, which saw him tragically lose a close friend, has been the most Googled thing about him in the past year, according to Google Trends. 
• The future King's near death experience was depicted in series four of The Crown and really did happen. 
• This royal news comes after Prince Charles faced a wave of concern from fans after they noticed his swollen "sausage fingers".

Many royal fans may have never even heard of Prince Charles' horrendous dice with death, but with series four of The Crown referring to the future King's 1988 ski trip that took a tragic turn, it appears that swarms of curious viewers have been keen to know how accurate The Crown is in its portrayal of the avalanche incident. 

Was Prince Charles really in an avalanche? 

Prince Charles narrowly avoided being caught in an avalanche during a ski trip with Princess Diana and friends back in 1988. 

With series four of Netflix's The Crown recounting details of the trip, internet searches for "avalanche Prince Charles" sky rocketed over the past 12 months, nabbing it a spot as the most Googled thing about the Prince of Wales in the last year. 

Episode nine of the fourth season of the award-winning royal drama depicts how Charles and Diana jetted off to Switzerland in March of 1988 to enjoy a skiing trip with close friends.

Charles was on the slopes with three others when a snow slide began to come towards them. His friend and royal family aide, Major Hugh Lindsay, was tragically killed in the freak accident, while Patricia Palmer-Tomkinson broke two legs.

Prince Charles began helping to to dig the pair trapped in the snow and was reportedly seen in tears at the scene of the horrendous incident.

Princess Diana, who, of course, had six and four-year-old Prince William and Harry at home in the UK, was not on the slopes at the time. 

In The Crown, we see the Queen and Prince Philip worried sick at Buckingham Palace, having been told that Charles had been caught up in the avalanche and that it was unknown if he had survived. 

In spite of the harrowing experience, keen skier Charles wasn't deterred from the slopes and has been photographed many times since taking to mountains around the world. 

Prince Charles and Diana also raised sons Prince William and Prince Harry with skiing as a part of their lives and the princes have famously enjoying the snow sport with both their mother and father in the past.  

Prince Charles and his wife, Duchess Camilla, also enjoy a spot of skiing as a couple and the Duchess of Cornwall recently shared a rare snap of the future King and Queen Consort with their skis on Scottish snow, on her Reading Room Instagram account. 

"📷 The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall in Scotland, 2010," a caption beside the upload reads. 

The sweet photograph shows the couple grinning at the camera while wrapped up warm in tweed skiing jackets and hats.