Greg James makes an emotional call to his mother, telling her to “tell Dad that Prince William was on the back of the bike and I didn’t k.i.l.l the future King,” after admitting he has been “masking his emotions” over his father’s stroke

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Later, Greg described the royal cameo as an “incredible surprise,” admitting that while he had joked before about William joining him on the tandem, he never expected him to actually do it.

He said: “I’d joked when I recorded a recent radio show with him that he was very welcome to turn up and do a stint on the tandem but I didn’t think he’d actually call my bluff.”

Greg added: “Completely bizarre but so kind of him to spend some time amplifying our message of making sure we look after the most vulnerable people in society. He didn’t have to jump on and stare at my back for 40 mins but I’m so grateful that he did. Unforgettable.”

The moving moment has added even more emotion to Greg’s challenge, which has already been shaped by pain, exhaustion and family heartache. Earlier in the trek, he admitted he broke down in tears while cycling as thoughts of his father and mother overwhelmed him.

He said: “I feel elated. I feel a bit overwhelmed by all these people who just turned up out of nowhere. I just burst into tears… I just thought about everything. Just thought about my dad, thought about my mum. It got way too much.”

What began as a fundraising challenge has now become something far more personal — a story of grit, grief, family love and one unforgettable royal surprise.