Princess Beatrice's unlikely London Marathon world record that set royal first

Thousands of runners will be pounding the streets of London today, pushing themselves to complete all 26 gruelling miles of the iconic marathon. The Royal Family counts several sporty members among its ranks, yet only one has actually tackled the punishing race – and not only did she cross the finish line, she also set a record in the process. That royal is Princess Beatrice , who took on the challenge in 2010 in aid of her mother Sarah Ferguson's charity Children in Crisis. Beatrice was one of 34 runners who joined forces to form a human caterpillar, all tied together as they made their way around the course. Among those also taking part were her then-boyfriend Dave Clarke and friends Sam and Holly Branson. Beatrice sported a fluorescent tutu and sweatbands for the occasion and was snapped beaming with her medal after crossing the finishing line. Impressively, the group smashed the record for the greatest number of people to complete a marathon while bound together. Although neither has personally laced up their trainers for the marathon, both the Prince and Princess of Wales made a special appearance at the event back in 2017. The couple cheered on competitors from a water station, rallying support for the 'Heads Together' mental health charity. They handed out high-fives and posed for selfies with the crowds, having earlier set the event in motion by pressing a large red button. However, they got a little more than they bargained for while handing out water to thirsty athletes – as cheeky runners squirted them with their bottles. Some of the 39,000 stopped for handshakes while others wanted selfies, but when a handful decided to spray water, the royals looked less than impressed as some droplets landed on their jackets. Kate has previously admitted she would love to tackle the iconic 26.2-mile race. However, it's simply not an option for her. Journalist Bryony Gordon, who has met Kate and completed the marathon herself, revealed she once put the question directly to the Princess of Wales. Bryony told Runner's World: "I can't remember exactly what happened, but I was like, 'Are you going to run the marathon?' And she was like, 'Oh I can't because security is a bit difficult.' But I was like, 'Sure, yeah, yeah, good excuse! If I can do it, anyone can.'" Meanwhile, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh took part in a portion of the marathon in 2020, when participants ran it under socially distanced conditions. She powered through 1.5 miles in torrential rain alongside one of the 45,000 runners taking on the gruelling course, joining Tomas, who was raising funds for Mencap, of which she is patron. The charity supports the 1.5 million people with a learning disability across the UK by providing social care support to adults and campaigning for better healthcare, employment and financial support. Thousands of spectators are set to line the streets of the capital today as the London Marathon winds its way from Greenwich to Westminster. More than 50,000 runners are expected to tackle the gruelling route past some of London's most iconic landmarks, including Buckingham Palace , the Cutty Sark and Tower Bridge.