Given her ongoing mobility issues, it is thought that the Queen will not attend, with her eldest son, Prince Charles, joined by the Duchess of Cornwall, representing the monarch at the Opening Ceremony this Thursday. The future king and queen consort will also be joined by Prince Edward in his capacity as Vice-Patron of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), and his wife, the Countess of Wessex.
Staged at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, Charles will make a speech to mark the Opening Ceremony, including reading out a special message from the Queen, who is Patron of the CGF. The monarch’s message was placed into the Commonwealth Games Baton by the Queen herself on 7 October last year at Buckingham Palace, before it went on a 294-day journey across the 72 nations and territories of the Commonwealth.
The Countess of Wessex and Prince Edward
Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images
Once the Games begin in earnest on Friday, Prince Edward and Sophie will attend a number of sporting events. The presence of the Queen’s youngest son is significant given he’s been Vice-Patron of the CGF since 1990, attending every Commonwealth Games since Edinburgh 1986. Buckingham Palace explained that the earl has visited the West Midlands three times ahead of this year’s iteration. These trips included meeting volunteers and staff, seeing athletes in training and visiting arenas, and even helping ‘put finishing touches to Commonwealth Games medals at Toye, Kenning and Spencer in the city’s historic jewellery quarter.’
The Queen’s daughter, Princess Anne, will also put in an appearance at the Games with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, this Friday. The couple will visit the Commonwealth Games Athletes’ Village at Warwick University to meet athletes and volunteers, before attending the Rugby Sevens at Coventry Stadium, to see England, Scotland and Wales all compete.
