Prince Charles was joined by Duran Duran and a 30ft-high bull as he welcomed the Commonwealth's "family of nations" to Birmingham last night. The prince opened the 2022 Commonwealth Games on behalf of the Queen.
A sellout crowd at the Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr enjoyed the festivities as the Games, the biggest sporting event in the UK since Glasgow hosted the same competition in 2014, kicked off. They were treated to fireworks and music from local heroes Duran Duran in a ceremony put together by renowned artistic director Iqbal Khan.
Greeting the competitors, Prince Charles said that Birmingham is “symbolic of the rich diversity and unity of the Commonwealth”. And in a short but powerful message, activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai spoke of how “every child deserves the chance to reach their full potential and pursue their wildest dreams”.
Malala, 25, who was shot by the Taliban for attending school when she was 15, said competitors represented millions of children and “our shared hope for the future”. “Tonight, teams from 72 countries and territories join the people of Birmingham to celebrate friendship across borders,” she said.
“The young athletes who will compete over the next few weeks represent millions of girls and boys across the Commonwealth – our shared hope for the future. A future where every child can go to school, where women are free to participate in society, where families can live in peace and in dignity.”
The Duchess of Cornwall joined her husband to enter the arena in the prince's blue soft-top Aston Martin DB6 Volante to huge cheers from the audience. The couple then stood on a platform while 72 other red, white and blue cars with links to the Birmingham car industry formed a Union flag. As they took their seats, the Red Arrows display team flew over the stadium, leaving a red, white and blue trail.
Birmingham was awarded the Games after scheduled host Durban in South Africa pulled out over financial problems. Over the next 11 days, more than 5,000 athletes from 72 nations will compete in 280 events across 19 sports.
Addressing the crowd, Charles said: “Over the years, the coming together of so many for the ‘Friendly Games’ has created memorable shared experiences, established long standing relationships, and even created some friendly rivalries. But above all they remind us of our connection with one another, wherever we may be in the world, as part of the Commonwealth family of nations.”
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As well as Duran Duran, other West Midlands celebrities were in attendance at the ceremony, including comedian Sir Lenny Henry, who started the athletes' parade. The mechanical bull provided a spectacle for many, but for the families of the Birmingham pub bombing victims its introduction proved a moving moment as their names were displayed on its head.
Earlier before the ceremony, Charles posed for selfies and team photos as he toured the main athletes’ village. He met with sportsmen and sportswomen from dozens of nations, and posed for group photographs with teams including Scotland, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Wales.
Yesterday (Thursday, July 28) morning, Boris Johnson said he was “supremely confident” there would be a legacy from the £778million of taxpayers’ money which has gone into the Games as the country faces a cost-of-living crisis.
The outgoing Prime Minister told the Commonwealth Business Forum in Birmingham: “You can feel the excitement here in this mighty city of Birmingham because the athletes are already here in their thousands, from 56 countries, 72 nations and territories around the world.
“Should we have done it with the pressure on the cost of living? Will there be a legacy from the £778 million of taxpayers’ money that has gone into these Games? And so right now, I want you to know I am here to tell you that I am supremely confident that the answer to that question is yes. A thousand times, yes."
Recalling the London 2012 Olympics during his time as the city's mayor, he added: “I say so because I remember, almost exactly 10 years ago, an identical moment of nerves just before the beginning of the London 2012 Games.”
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