For Buckingham Palace in October read Celtic Park in July as Chris Hoy again delivered the Commonwealth Games Baton to the Queen at the opening of Glasgow 2014. When the Baton began its journey, Commonwealth Games Federation President Prince Imran struggled to insert the message. Some nine months later the text proved equally difficult to extract. To loud cheers from spectators it finally came loose.

Prince Imran described his attempts to open the Queen's baton as "As a great comedy act."

"There was a button to press, but it was a bit higher than it had been when we practised...It was my fault, I knew exactly what to do," he added. "I just saw it on TV for the first time and it raised a laugh and that is what it is all about."

In her address, the Queen said: "The Baton represents a calling together of people from every part of the Commonwealth and serves as a reminder of our shared ideals and ambitions. You remind us that young people make up half our Commonwealth citizens and it is to you we entrust our values and our future."

The Baton proved to be unwilling to release the Queen's message as Prince Imran attempted to get to it ©Getty Images




There were echoes of the 2012 Olympic Torch relay in the final journey of the Baton, but whereas London 2012 used a speedboat driven by David Beckham, the Loch Lomond sea plane flew above the Clyde. When it landed, Scottish long distance cyclist Mark Beaumont carried the Baton. The finale of the Baton relay drew from the Olympic Torch relay of 2012. This time grass roots volunteers were asked to participate. Hoy's own great uncle and inspiration, Andy Coogan, was the penultimate carrier before Sir Chris himself set off up the stars to meet the Queen.

At the third time of asking, a Commonwealth Games in Scotland had finally begun in weather befitting the occasion. Glasgow's big opening night had a magnificent  Celtic medley performed by entertainers Karen Dunbar and John Barrowman. Their musical journey across Scotland included a representation of golf at the Royal and Ancient, Scotch Whisky and the highlands and islands. Within moments they had banished forever any lingering memories of the unhappy Edinburgh Games of 1986, the last time they were held on Scottish soil. Amy Macdonald and Rod Stewart kept up the pace.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh arrived  in traditional style by limousine to the pipes and drums of the Scottish Regiments and were greeted by Prince Imran, Glasgow 2014 President Lord Smith of Kelvin and Michael Cavanagh, chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland.

The national anthem was sung by Robert Lovie who led the Braemar ensemble.

As in Melbourne at the 2006 Games the nations entered by region, with 2010 hosts India leading the parade. In the Commonwealth Games, the most recent host nation leads the parade of nations. They were followed by the other Asian nations, then Oceania, Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas and Europe.

Each team was accompanied by a dog walker leading a Scottish terrier. Animals have formed part of the Commonwealth Games ceremony since 1990 when New Zealand rider Mark Todd came in on his famous mount Charisma and an elephant called Mahkota began the final journey of the baton in 1998.

A Scottish terrier led each team into Celtic Park during the Opening Ceremony
©AFP/Getty Images



At the 1986 Games in Edinburgh, Bermuda had been undecided whether to join a boycott. At the 11th hour they had raced to the stadium and marched in the Opening Ceremony out of sequence just before host nation Scotland, but they later withdrew from the Games. Here they took their place amongst the teams from the Americas and wore the traditional shorts which have become their trademark. Some members of the Barbados team also delighted the crowds by wearing kilts.

As each region made its entry, a film reflecting the work of UNICEF in each continent flashed onto the big screen. Sir Chris Hoy introduced a report on a project in Malawi. When their team arrived in the stadium, they received a thunderous reception, reflecting the close ties between Malawi and Scotland since the missionary and humanitarian David Livingstone first visited the country in the mid 19th century.

Sir Chris was later joined by actor James McAvoy to explain how spectators and television viewers could donate to UNICEF. This was the initiative of Lord Puttnam, who believes that it could catch on with other big sporting events. Appropriately, Puttnam had produced Chariots of Fire, which tells the story of the great Scottish runner Eric Liddell. Puttnam had originally suggested the idea for use at the Olympic Games. Film star Ewan McGregor and India's great cricketer Sachin Tendulkar gave their backing .

"I can't imagine that this idea won't be picked up and used at every major event," said Puttnam.

The faces of young people from all over the world flashed on to the screen. Their voices combined to form a virtual choir.This idea had first been seen at the 1998 Winter Olympics, choirs from different continents were conducted by Seiji Ozawa from the stadium in Nagano.

People around the Commonwealth were asked to donate to UNICEF'S Children of the Commonwealth Fund ©Getty Images



Nicola Benedetti had followed in the footsteps of Sir Yehudi Menuhin by leading a  violin ensemble at the opening of a Commonwealth Games in Scotland. They played Loch Lomond, a wonderfully appropriate way to welcome the Games flag. The colour party was drawn from all parts of the Commonwealth and included Kip Keino, 1500 champion at the 1970 Edinburgh Games.

The wording of the traditional oath had been unchanged for  60 years before Glasgow but now organisers have introduced wording which is taken by the athlete, judge and coach.

"We will show the world the values of our Commonwealth are ideals in which we all believe."

At the Olympics, there are three separate oaths.

Philip Barker has worked as a television journalist for 25 years. He began his career with Trans World Sport, then as a reporter for Skysports News and the ITV breakfast programme. A regular Olympic pundit on BBC Radio, Sky News and Talksport, he is associate editor of the Journal of Olympic History, has lectured at the National Olympic Academy and contributed extensively to Team GB publications. His latest book, Lord's First: 200 Years of Making History at Lord's Cricket Ground, has recently been published. To follow him on Twitter click here.