The royal family released a video in which the King, Queen and Duke of Edinburgh met Finnie before the ceremony began, the official mascot of Glasgow 2026, along with the baton bearers who helped carry the spirit of the Games across the Commonwealth.
King Charles and Queen Camilla made a memorable royal arrival at the opening ceremony of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, emerging from the iconic Doctor Who Tardis in a nod to Scottish culture and a famous royal tradition.
The King and Queen “journeyed” from Balmoral in the Scottish Highlands to Glasgow’s Hydro stadium aboard the legendary blue police box, before being greeted by cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy and actor Greg McHugh.
The opening show celebrated Scotland’s creativity and identity, with performances from local favorites including wrestler Grado, who appeared in a tea cake costume, alongside the colorful presence of mascot Finnie.
Its design was inspired by a real police box created by Scottish architect Gilbert Mackenzie Trench in 1929.
The creative opening sequence saw the Tardis travel through Scotland, visiting famous landmarks before arriving at the packed stadium.
The time machine was piloted by Sir Chris Hoy, who later described sharing the moment with the King as a surreal experience.
It echoed the late Queen Elizabeth II’s unforgettable James Bond appearance with Daniel Craig during the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
After leaving the Tardis, Charles and Camilla headed to the royal box, where they watched the celebrations that marked the start of 11 days of competition involving more than 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories.
The King subsequently formally declared the XXIII Commonwealth Games open in his role as Head of the Commonwealth, ceremonial leader of the 56-member association.
