Prince Charles declared Commonwealth Games open

There was no mucking about: The Indian daily The Hindu put it in its headline: Prince Charles declares Games open. In a colourful ceremony the Indian capital Delhi the heir to the throne and to the title as Head of the Commonwealth received the Queen’s baton, which has traversed 190,000 kilometres through all 71 participating countries and territories. The Prince of Wales read out Her Majesty’s message and under the applause of some 60,000 spectators declared the Commonwealth Games open.


After Prince Charles, Ms. Pratabha Patil, or “Madame President”, as the Prince of Wales addressed her, read out her welcome message and added: “Let the Games begin.”

Considering the row ahead of the Commonwealth Games, this was a compromise everybody could live with.

The South African team entered the arena with the meanwhile infamous vuvuzelas. A new national symbol of South Africa?

Drummers from various Indian states dominated the opening ceremony.