Sir Mo Farah had a telling encounter with King Charles.
King Charles’ nine-word remark to Mo Farah virtually cracked the working legend up at Buckingham Palace (Picture: Lewis Whyld/PA Wire)
Sir Mo Farah as soon as admitted how fortunate he felt to satisfy King Charles III throughout a memorable interplay the place he acquired a CBE award. As Britain’s greatest-ever endurance runner, Sir Mo has understandably turn into inseparable from occasions such because the London Marathon. Whereas the Crew GB icon retired from skilled distance working in September 2023, he’ll nonetheless play an essential position within the 2026 version, which takes place this Sunday, April 26.
Farah will not be working the 26.2 miles himself this 12 months, having accomplished his fourth and last full marathon in London in April 2023, crossing the road in ninth place. On this event, the four-time Olympic gold medallist has been bestowed with an honorary position as a starter, sending the 59,000 members on their approach from Blackheath to The Mall. The 43-year-old by no means managed to safe victory on the occasion, although he did end third in 2018. As an alternative, he excelled over barely shorter distances, clinching gold in each the ten,000-metres and 5,000m at London 2012 and Rio 2016. Farah stepped away from observe occasions in 2017 to focus on the marathon, though he did mount a quick comeback try forward of the 2020 Olympic Video games in Tokyo.
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It was following his exceptional first Olympic double on house soil effectively over a decade in the past that Farah was honoured with a CBE. King Charles then seized the second to ship a nine-word quip concerning the British icon’s extraordinary medal haul on the observe, which left Farah gushing with pleasure.
Sir Mo stated after receiving the award: “I by no means in my life imagined coming to Buckingham Palace. I bear in mind working previous it within the mini-marathon as a child once I was 13 and pondering it was so lovely and taking footage of the lion, so coming inside and receiving this award is nice.”
He fondly recalled the now-King’s joke, including: “Prince Charles stated, ‘You should be getting sick of so many medals,’ and to listen to somebody just like the Prince of Wales is aware of who you might be is simply sensible. I am not bored with it in any respect, I simply wish to make my nation proud and accumulate as many medals in my profession as I can.”
Farah was born in Somaliland however was trafficked to London on the age of 9, earlier than occurring to make historical past for Britain. King Charles shares his personal reference to the London Marathon and has been carefully related to the occasion since its inception.
Sir Mo has run the London Marathon 4 instances (Picture: Getty)
The monarch was nonetheless a prince when he served as starter for the race’s inaugural run in 1981, bestowing royal patronage upon the Marathon from the outset. Ever since, members of the Royal Household have both taken half in or lent their assist to the occasion, a convention that endures to today, although Charles himself has understandably stepped again since ascending to the throne in 2022.
It’s also value noting that the race’s end line has lengthy been positioned at Buckingham Palace. Farah these days enjoys a extra peaceable life along with his household, having relocated to Doha, Qatar, to flee the relentless British highlight.
In current instances, the veteran observe star has channelled higher effort into his Run with Mo YouTube collection, which has attracted high-profile company together with Arsene Wenger, KSI and Jimmy Carr, amongst others.
In early 2026, he took half in varied “In Dialog” occasions, reflecting on his profession and his youngsters’s e-book collection, Go Mo Go. His working enterprise, One Mo Mile Restricted, stays energetic with important belongings in funding property. He continues to handle his skilled commitments from his new house in Doha.
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