King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow via a TARDIS, the iconic time-traveling police box from the BBC's science fiction series Doctor Who. The unconventional entrance was part of a short film shown at the start of the ceremony at the OVO Hydro Arena.
The film depicted Scottish actor Greg McHugh and national treasure Sir Chris Hoy discovering the TARDIS in Glasgow. Following a call about getting the King and Queen from Balmoral Castle to Glasgow on time, they used the time machine for their journey. The TARDIS was shown making stops at various Scottish landmarks, including Loch Ness, Edinburgh Castle, and the Glenfinnan Viaduct, before landing at Balmoral.
Palace aides emphasized the TARDIS as a symbol of Scotland, noting its connection to Scottish 'Doctors' from the show, its designer being a Scottish architect, and Glasgow's abundance of original police boxes. The Doctor, the show's protagonist, also holds a medical degree from the University of Glasgow.
This year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow are a scaled-down event. Scotland stepped in to host after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew in July 2023 due to escalating costs. Organizers cited cost-cutting measures, resulting in fewer events and athletes compared to previous games. No new stadiums were built, and the budget has been significantly reduced. For the first time since 1954, the BBC is not broadcasting the games, with TNT Sports holding the rights. Live coverage is available via HBO Max, with daily highlights on Channel 5.
The current event in Glasgow is a contrast to the 2014 Commonwealth Games, also hosted by the city. The 2014 opening ceremony at Celtic Park featured prominent entertainers and a much larger capacity venue. The 2024 opening ceremony's venue, the OVO Hydro, has a smaller capacity, and fewer tickets were made available for the 11-day event.