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Patrick Woodhead is an incredibly patient man.

Whether he is trying to explain to Saudi royals that yes, they really do need to wear sunscreen in Antarctica, or almost losing a fashionista who insisted on dressing in head-to-toe white during a snowstorm, his job is to ensure his A-list guests are safe in the South Pole.

It is all in a day's work for the White Desert tour company in Antarctica, which hosts royalty and the rich and famous for luxury polar safaris. 

Emperor penguins stretch off into the distance at the enormous colony at Antarctica's famous Atka Bay

A huge iceberg towers over the emperor penguins at the magnificent spot where tourists can observe the animals in their natural surroundings

  Prince Harry took part in a race to the South Pole as part of a Walking With The Wounded expedition last year

White Desert runs four or five trips per season, hosting an average 48 guests across the trips, with a maximum group size of 12.

'We've been fully booked for the past three or four years,' says Patrick, revealing that clients often book a year in advance.

'People like to prepare for a trip like this. And you have to remember, for the sorts of clients we host, to find room in their schedules for an eight-day trip is a big deal.'

Woodhead has had clients book out an entire trip, reserving all 12 spaces at 59,000 euros a head, only to cancel with a few days' notice - losing 708,000 euros (£560,000) in the process. 

'We've had a few step off the plane, take one look at the weather and wanted to turn around and leave again. 

'It's not that simple. Only certain types of aircraft can land on the ice and they are specially chartered. So even if they say "I'll just call in my jet", we have to tell them it's not possible. They usually calm down when they wake up the next day and it's sunny.

A member of the Saudi royal family has his picture taking with penguins on a family tour of the region

Two clients eloped to to Antarctica and were married near to an icefall surrounding White Desert's camp

The couple travelled alone and guests staying at the camp were their witnesses as they tied the knot in the snow

Professional swimmer Ram Barkai broke the world record for swimming one kilometer in 0.5C water in Antarctica

Whire Desert is the only company offering luxury safaris to Antarctica, with comfortabel sleeping pods provided for guests

'The one thing they often find hard to get their head around is the fact that they are not in control and are essentially reliant on us. Most of the big CEOs and Chairmen we have coming in are used to making decisions that affect thousands of people each day, so I think they find it quite a relief to come here and be totally in someone else's hands. 

'Even though they can send emails and be in touch, they mostly decide to disconnect entirely and enjoy life away from everyone else. 

The first 'big' clients Patrick hosted were the Saudi royal family, some of whom had never seen snow before. 

A bird's eye view of the local sights is available for guests who want to take in the spectacular scenery

I warned them to put on sunscreen - we have a special factor 100 at the camp -  and they laughed at me and said "We are from Riad where there is blazing sun, we can handle it." Sure enough they returned at the end of the day and their skin was burnt to a cinder. They used the sunscreen the next day.'

The royal protection officers found themselves a little redundant with only the penguins to protect the royal family from.

'When I met their private jet the bodyguards began to explain in detail how they wanted the four by fours to travel in a tight convoy at no less than 30 miles per hour, and how the principal should be in the middle car... It was only when I got them to look outside and showed them that they were headed into an empty landscape with nothing to hurt their clients did they realise that their job was a bit redundant.'

Well wrapped-up guests enjoy a rest on a bench carved out of snow in the middle of the Antarctic

A White Desert client paints a picture of the notorious 'Wolf's fang' Mountain, known as one of Antarctica's most challenging peaks to climb

'It is unique to have a week in a calm environment with people like that,' he says. 'They're cut off from the world, they're relaxed and you see a different side of people. You're taking them on new adventures and you end up getting to know them quite well.'

Another royal to visit White Desert was Prince Harry, fresh (or, not so fresh) from completing his Walking with the Wounded expedition last year.

'They were all weather beaten, skinny and exhausted,' says Patrick. 'Antarctica is not a very big place... well, obviously it is huge geographically, but in terms of people, it's a small world. So if someone is passing through the area, the decent thing is to invite them in, warm them up and give them a decent meal and some wine.'

Patrick says that while some of the group were getting into the champagne, Prince Harry was very well behaved. 

Fello White Desert owner Robyn Woodhead pauses before a massive icefall whilst out trekking

White Desert clients include some of the world's most powerful CEOs and company owners as well as royals and celebrities

'He was very well behaved. and incredibly charming – a really cool guy. We guessed it was probably too cold outside for any repeat of Las Vegas!'

Bear Grylls on the other hand, stayed for a week with four friends. 'He was like the Energizer Bunny, fascinated by everything and wanting to do all sorts of extreme stuff. He was out there power motoring and wanted to go kite-skiing with me.'

While an adventurer like Bear is certain to put safety ahead of fashion, 'we had one lady turn up dressed exclusively in white... which looked great on the plane, but she almost got lost in a snowstorm, what with all the snow flying around. We had to hold her hand most of the way.'

As for diva demands, Patrick says there have been surprisingly few. 'There was a Chinese group who insisted on bringing out their own cabbages and spices and refused to let the chef cook. They took over the kitchen.

A group of White Desert clients trek off towards the huge icefall that dominates camp

The small Adelie penguin travels 90km to nest in the mountains in Antarctica and guests have a chance to see them up close

'And one Japanese guest drank only liquid the entire week. He was about 80 years old though, and looked 50, so I think he may be on to something.'

Despite the guests being accustomed to mansions and palaces, he says most are 'amazed' by the pod accommodation.

'Most guests are so terrified of what they are going to find in Antarctica, that when they arrive they always seem quite comforted just by having some heating and good food.'

'They know it's not the Maldives.'

'It's when they go to the South Pole for the night that they get a true feel for the explorer experience, sleeping in a tent. It's not luxurious at all.'

Two enormous Weddel seals rest on the ice oblivious to the humans nearby - a common phenomenon in Antarctica,where tourism is still an exclusive industry, meaning there are not many people in the area

As well as wildlife, guests can see natural phenomena such as a hundred-metre tunnel is carved out of the ice from melt water

Beneath The Ice by Patrick Woodhead is available for pre-order from Amazon

There have been snowstorms, which have required the group to bunker down and wait it out. 'It can go either way - usually it brings out the best in people.' But there have been some tantrums too, most notably between two heiresses. 

'We'd had a really bad storm at the camp and some of the guests were pretty strung out from exhaustion. They'd been bottled up in the camp together, and it all exploded on the flight on the way back.

'They had to be physically restrained by the crew and handcuffed to their seats.'

One of the most memorable events at the camp turned out to be a wedding. A bride and groom eloped to Antarctica, flying in for the day for the ceremony, which took place in front a groaning and creaking ancient icefall. 

The six guests who were in camp that week bore witness, while the camp manager officiated.

There has been some criticism that the camp poses a danger to the habitat, but White Desert insist their 'zeroimpact' policy is safe for the environment.

'The camp is completely temporary and run on solar power. We remove every last bit of waste and dispose of it in Cape Town. 

'The only thing we can't do much about is landing the plane. We do offset the carbon emissions, and it really is like flying a private jet anywhere else.

'It is important to remember that the guests we host at White Desert are power players. These are really influential, powerful people who have a chance of making a difference.

'When they come down here to visit Antarctica, they form an emotional attachment to the place. They care - they become invested and interested.

'These are the type of people who it would be a stretch to get 20 minutes of their time ordinarily, and here they are spending hours and hours speaking with the scientists at the South Pole about their work and the environment. It's rare to get an opportunity like that and it is valuable.'

Patrick, and author as well as an adventurer, is releasing his third novel in December - the first to be set in Antarctica.

The opening chapter borrows from a harrowing real-life incident which saw Patrick save a staff member's life who had fallen 60 feet down a crevasse.

'The rule in camp is wherever you go, you are roped up. This member of staff had only been here a few days. He saw something in the distance and thought something from camp had blown away. Not thinking, he went to fetch it, and walked straight into a crevasse.

'He fell 60 feet and was pinned down there. We had to abseil in and spent six hours trying to get him out. The snow had melted from his body heat and he was drenched - the doctor said he was going to die of hypothermia if we didn't get him out. But releasing him would mean he lost his legs. 

'We eventually managed to pull him free... He lives in a very hot country now.' 

Patrick came up with the idea for a luxury polar safari while stuck in a snowstorm during a traverse across Antarctica. 'We were being punished by the weather,' he says. 'It was minus 30 degrees, minus 60 with the wind... a very different place to where our camp is.'

'We were dreaming about decent food and a nice bed.

'At the time you could get into Antarctica by cruise ship, which is a nice experience, but you're with 100 other people on a boat and the penguins are miles away. It's a hands-off experience.'