Prince Harry has offered his support to an amputee former Royal Marine who failed his challenge of a triathlon across Britain.
The Duke of Sussex told veteran Lee Spencer that he hopes he feels "proud" of his efforts in a Zoom call from his home in Montecito, California.
Mr Spencer had planned to swim 22 miles, cycle 1,060 miles and hike 45 miles but was forced to end the challenge on August 5 as he was in pain.
Prince Harry offered his support to Lee Spencer via a Zoom call.
EDUARDO MUNOZ
But Harry told him in a discussion that was shared on Mr Spencer's Instagram page: "You basically circled the whole of the UK and climbed two mountains.
"And after that, and only after that, did your stump start to give you a few issues to the point where you had to pull out of the very last phase of it.
"You put so much into this. I hope that you're really happy, I know you're not happy, but I hope that you feel really proud of yourself to have done what you've done."
Lee Spencer has taken part in similar challenges before.
Andrew Matthews
Lee Spencer was attempting a triathlon across the UK.
Image: PA
The Duke joked about not "daring" to ask what challenge comes next for Mr Spencer, and suggested that "completing this challenge" may now be the goal in mind.
Mr Spencer said: "For me, it's always been about getting the message out, not only for my disability but keeping wounded, injured servicemen and women in the nation's conscience.
"They're the two things that were primary."
He confirmed that he was "almost certain" that he would attempt the challenge again in another form, adding that he feels the need to "do something that matters".
In a caption alongside the video, Mr Spencer admitted that the journey "didn't finish the way I'd hoped and I was bitterly disappointed, feeling that I had let my team and everyone who had supported me down."
Despite this, he added that Harry's "very kind words have helped me to process that disappointment and start to see a lot of positives."
The former Marine lost his right leg when he stopped to help a motorist on the M3 in Surrey in 2014.
Mr Spencer was struck by flying debris as he made his way towards a stranded vehicle, with his leg being shattered by the impact.
Harry has previously spoken to Mr Spencer when he was a member of a four-strong amputee team that completed the fastest unsupported row across the Atlantic Ocean in 2006.
