Prince Harry delights London Marathon runners in LA: 'One for the books!'

London Marathon runners Chudney Espiritu and her husband Mark got the surprise of a lifetime when Prince Harry turned up to cheer them on.

As a patron of the London Marathon Charitable Trust, the Duke of Sussex surprised a few Los Angeles residents who had been hoping to run the famous marathon before the pandemic struck.

While London Marathon was meant to take place in April, it was postponed until October due to COVID-19.

It went ahead on Sunday, with non-elite runners taking part virtually from around the globe, joining in via an app.

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Espiritu, who planned to run the race on a 42 km track around the couple's LA home, was contacted by the London Marathon team to see whether she had an inspiring story behind her decision to take part.

In response, she wrote a heartfelt essay about her battle with cancer and how running had changed her life "for the better."

"I also mentioned that I decided to still run the virtual marathon because it is their 40th & it is my 40th too!" she wrote in an Instagram post.

Later, Espiritu was informed an LA-based ambassador for the London Marathon was keen to meet her and husband Mark.

To her shock, and delight, that turned out to be Prince Harry.

"We found out that the ambassador was the Duke of Sussex! Prince Harry!!!  He is so laid-back and very down to earth," she wrote.

"He actually asked if it is okay for us to sit on the floor."

Maintaining social distancing and wearing masks during the meeting, Espiritu added the "interview" was "more like a chat with a friend."

"What an experience this was. I never imagined myself chatting with Prince Harry.  This is one for the books. I will never forget this day," she wrote.

The prince, who currently resides in Santa Barbara with wife Meghan Markle and son Archie, previously sent a video message to encourage those participating in the race.

"Thanks to all of you, the extraordinary spirit of the London Marathon will continue to shine across the globe," he said, to the 45,000 participants.

Harry was meant to attend this year's London Marathon in person, but was unable to as a result of the pandemic.

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