The Prince and Princess of Wales, known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay while in Scotland, brought their three children to experience the final stages of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The family's visit included stops at key venues, where they engaged with athletes, staff, and volunteers during a blustery day on the River Clyde.
At the OVO Hydro, the royal family watched the netball semi-finals, witnessing New Zealand secure a 61-54 victory over England. The atmosphere was lively as the family cheered alongside the crowd.
During their time at the venue, the Prince and Princess met with several athletes, including gold medal-winning para powerlifter Mark Swan and gymnast Reuben Ward.
Princess Catherine and Princess Charlotte also took the opportunity to pose for photographs with the Team Scotland netball players, who had recently missed out on a bronze medal following a loss to Uganda on Thursday. The family also spent time with the Games mascot, Finnie, who shared a high-five with Charlotte and brought smiles to the children.
The family later moved to the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome. There, they chatted with British cyclist Laura Kenny and were seated one row behind Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy. Prince Louis was noted to be enjoying the event, while Prince William was seen chatting animatedly with athletes and Prince George watched the competition with focused attention.
The current Games, which have been a scaled-down version of the event, featured 215 medals awarded across 10 sports, including a record-breaking 47 para-sports events. Glasgow stepped in to host the tournament for the second time in eight years after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew due to soaring costs.
The event began with a spectacular opening ceremony last Thursday, where King Charles and Queen Camilla emerged from a Tardis. The ceremony featured flags from 74 nations and territories, alongside performances by Nathan Evans, Tom Walker, and KT Tunstall, and appearances by the Loch Ness monster.
As the tournament nears its conclusion, Sunday will see Jamaica and New Zealand compete for the gold medal in netball, while England will face Australia in a match for the bronze. Following the final matches, the OVO Hydro will undergo a rapid transformation, turning from a netball court back into a gig venue in just six hours for the closing ceremony.
The ceremony will feature performances by Simple Minds, Cammy Barnes, BEMZ, and Sandi Thom.
Organizers stated the event will highlight the people who made the Games possible and celebrate iconic sporting triumphs. The curtain call will include a performance by the Highland folk and electronic band Elephant Sessions, while singer Shereen Cutkelvin will mark the ceremonial flag handover.
Looking toward the future, the centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030 are scheduled to take place in Ahmedabad, India. The handover will feature Bollywood vocalist Shankar Mahadevan and actress Rashmika Mandanna.
Additionally, Australian artist Delta Goodrem is set to perform a homage to Scotland at the closing ceremony, marking 20 years since she performed at the 2006 Melbourne Games.
Community groups and cultural organisations will also be involved.
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