I hate being called an 'icon.' I just don't like it. That's all there is to it.

I was incredibly stubborn. I mean, I believe that my father was frequently in the right, but I would never admit it, and so we did have a few set-tos on various topics; but on the whole as I got older and my father got more mature we got along reasonably well.

I think that a good mountaineer is usually a sensible mountaineer.

In those days we were punished very frequently and I felt that it was often unjust, and so I would resist the desire to agree with many, many things. So I used to get beaten quite frequently and I more or less accepted it as part of life.

I'm definitely a Queen supporter. She was great.

Many people have been getting too casual about climbing Everest. I forecast a disaster many times.

I have discovered that even the mediocre can have adventures and even the fearful can achieve.