The Prince of Wales and
the Duchess of Cornwall opened the 2022 Commonwealth Games on
Thursday – and his sister-in-law the Countess of Wessex was there to
give him support.
Giving the elder royal a kiss
on the cheek, the pair were pictured greeting each other as Sophie’s husband,
Prince Charles’ brother Prince Edward, stood watching.
Edward is vice-patron of the
Commonwealth Games Federation, and he released a message ahead of the event’s
opening ceremony, saying in part: “The Games are more than just about
sport, they are the greatest manifestation of the Commonwealth: our
extraordinary collection of countries linked together through a myriad of bonds
of common interests and relationships.”
Commonwealth Games medal
winners Tom Daley OBE, Kim Daybell, Max Whitlock MBE, Galal Yafai, and Alex
Danson-Bennett MBE were official baton bearers at the opening ceremony, which
was broadcast on BBC One.
Each of the athletes taking
part represented a cause close to their hearts. Diver Tom showed his support of
LGBTQIA rights, while Max backed mental health.
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Sophie greeted her brother-in-law with a kiss
Charles was representing his
mother the Queen, who is not attending the Games due to her ongoing mobility
issues, Buckingham Palace previously announced.
At the opening ceremony, the
Prince read the Queen’s message for the Games, which she placed into the
Commonwealth Games Baton back in October 2021 and which has traveled the globe
during a 294-day journey to all 72 nations and territories of the Commonwealth.
Addressing the crowd on behalf
of the Queen, Charles said: “Over the years, the coming together of so
many for the ‘Friendly Games’ has created memorable shared experiences,
established long-standing relationships, and even created some friendly
rivalries. But above all, they remind us of our connection with one another,
wherever we may be in the world, as part of the Commonwealth family of
nations.”
He concluded: “I wish
each athlete and team every success. Your hard work and dedication,
particularly in recent times, have been an inspiration to all of us. It now
gives me the greatest pleasure to declare the 22nd Commonwealth Games
open.”
The Games will run until
Monday 8 August and promise to be the biggest sporting festival in the UK since
the London Olympics a decade ago. Over the next 11 days, more than 5,000
athletes from 72 nations will compete in 280 events across 19 sports.
