Britain's King Charles III meets Finnie, the 2026 Commonwealth Games unicorn mascot, during a reception ahead of the opening ceremony of the 23rd Commonwealth Games at the OVO Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, on July 23, 2026. (Photo by Aaron Chown / POOL / AFP)
King Charles III officially opened the 23rd Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Thursday to launch 10 days in a slimmed down event designed to control costs.
Around 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories will compete for 215 gold medals across 10 sports and six para-sports in the Scottish city, which also hosted the games 12 years ago.
Accompanied by his wife Queen Camilla, the King emerged from a Tardis, inspired by British science fiction TV show Doctor Who, to get the opening ceremony off to a jovial start before taking his seat in the 14,000-capacity Hydro arena in the centre of the city.
“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,” King Charles said addressing the athletes.
