King Charles and Queen Camilla borrowed Doctor Who's Tardis to arrive in style at tonight's Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony in Glasgow. Charles and Camilla drew inspiration from the late Queen Elizabeth II by appearing in a short sketch to officially open the Glasgow 2026 Games. The former monarch famously 'parachuted' into the 2012 London Olympics Opening Ceremony after filming alongside Daniel Craig's James Bond and was joined for tea by Paddington Bear in her iconic sketch with Paddington Bear.
Sketch details
In tonight's three-minute film, the Tardis, Sir Chris Hoy and Greg McHugh, a former Doctor, are walking through Glasgow when one of the City's landmark police boxes starts to ring. They answer and it becomes apparent they're chatting with Buckingham Palace, and are tasked with quickly finding a way to get the King and Queen to the Opening Ceremony on time. After deciding who was going to take the wheel, they entered the Tardis and embarked on a chaotic journey past famous Scottish landmarks, such as Loch Ness, Edinburgh Castle and the Kelpies, before landing at Balmoral Castle, the Royal Family's private home in the Highlands.
Arrival at the Hydro
Two figures are seen hopping inside the Tardis, before the recognisable Doctor Who soundtrack is played and the police box lands in the garden onstage in The Hydro stadium. When the doors opened, the crowd erupted when the King and Queen emerged from the iconic blue box. They then made their way down the circular ramp to take their seats in the royal box, as 18 members of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra Youth Chorus sang God Save the King. Just like Charles's late mother, their involvement in the short film was kept top secret, even from other family members.
Theme and Scottish symbols
Woven throughout the two-hour ceremony is the theme of time, which is why the Tardis was chosen to open the show. The time machine and wider BBC show also have strong ties to Scotland, with The Doctor having achieved a medical degree from Glasgow University, the city having the largest number of historic police telephone boxes, and four Scottish actors playing the iconic role. The Ceremony was also marked by other Scottish symbols, such as the Loch Ness Monster, the iconic Glasgow Central Clock, and an emotional performance of the country's unofficial anthem, Flower of Scotland.
King's speech
Before the Games were officially declared open, the King, Head of the Commonwealth, was handed the 74th Baton - the Scottish Baton that bore the message he placed inside last March, when he launched the King's Baton Relay at Buckingham Palace. Each country was given their own Baton to decorate to reflect its own culture and identity before returning to Glasgow. He told those gathered: 'Seeing the Batons arrive into Scotland today, in all their colourful glory, carried by inspiring athletes and para-athletes, reminds us once again that the Commonwealth is a unique and extraordinary family of nations.' 'As we gather, we celebrate the dedication and talent of every athlete and team. Your perseverance inspires us, and we eagerly anticipate your achievements in the coming days.'
Environmental message
The King, who has long been a champion of environmental causes, also hailed the importance of the King's Baton Relay Clean Oceans Plastic Campaign, which brought together athletes and communities to tackle plastic pollution. The year-long initiative successfully removed more than 1 million pieces of plastic from Commonwealth waterways. He said: 'As we share our love of sport, and our planet, let us build a harmonious and durable future, for our families and each other.' The King then officially declared the 33rd Commonwealth Games open.
Duke of Edinburgh's visit
Earlier on Thursday, the Duke of Edinburgh visited the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) to watch some of the opening matches in the bowls - the only sport to have started on Day 0 of the Games. He arrived in the arena without fanfare, making his way into the stands to sit amongst the athletes and their coaches. Edward, Vice Patron of Commonwealth sport, watched for over 90 minutes, as different players rotated in to sit beside him. On his way out, he bumped into the drummers who had performed in the break between the sessions and asked to have a go on one of the drums. They obliged and helped him place one of the drums over his head and he happily banged the sticks.
Earlier, the duke watched Drums and Roses, formed of two pipers and two drummers, play a medley of Mamma Mia and Proud Mary accompanied by two dancers. In the players' zone, he chatted to athletes preparing to go on for the third session, including England's Sian Honnor, Amy Pharoah and their coach, Sandy Hazell. Mrs Honnor, who is playing in her fifth Games and has two Commonwealth Golds and two Bronze medals to her name, led Team England in front of the King and Queen at the Hydro last night, having been named as flag bearer.
