Charles and Camilla emerge from Tardis at Commonwealth Games opening ceremony

Charles and Camilla emerge from Tardis at Commonwealth Games opening ceremony King Charles and Queen Camilla attended the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games that will see 3,000 athletes from 74 nations compete in events over the next two weeks King Charles and Queen Camilla made an out-of-this world entrance at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. The pair emerged from the Doctor Who Tardis - the time travelling machine used in the long-running science fiction TV series - to huge cheers at the centre of the Hydro stadium in Glasgow. The Tardis, based on a police box designed by Scottish architect Gilbert Mackenzie, was seen rushing through space and time taking in famous local landmarks such as Loch Ness - famously home to 'Nessie,' the Loch Ness Monster - Edinburgh Castle, The Kelpies, the Victorian Glenfinnan Viaduct, and the Highlands during the Jurassic period. The Ceremony began with the theme of nature, featuring a magical garden reflecting Scotland’s extraordinary landscapes. It also pays tribute to one of Glasgow’s defining moments - the 1988 Garden Festival, in the same way organisers hope Glasgow 2026 is a defining moment for the Commonwealth Games. The Tardis - which stands for Time And Relative Dimension In Space - was also flown over the University of Glasgow, where the TV Doctor graduated from. Viewers from around the world and inside the stadium witnessed the time travelling machine going on a journey round Scotland, almost accidentally operated by one of Scotland’s greatest athletes Sir Chris Hoy and Scottish actor Greg McHugh, much to the confusion of the Seventh Doctor, Sylvester McCoy. Materialising at various famous landmarks of Scotland, the TARDIS finally arrived at Balmoral Castle, the home of the Royal Family in the Highlands. The Games will take place across multiple venues in the city. The Games will welcome 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories, supported by 3,000 volunteers and hundreds of thousands of fans from across Glasgow and beyond. The 14,300-capacity Hydro stadium, modelled on the great amphitheatres of Greece and Rome, will also host the closing ceremony on Sunday, August 2. The scaled-back games will see 10 sports being played at the event, down from 17 at the 2022 Birmingham games. Scotland's First Minister John Swinney said he wanted to see athletes compete with pride and passion. Swinney said he was certain of "an absolutely outstanding opening ceremony" in front of Charles and Camilla.