The king emerges from Tardis as Commonwealth Games face battle for time and space
The troubled Games looked doomed until Glasgow stepped in but this opening ceremony had plenty of feelgood factor
The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow opened on Thursday evening to the surreal sight of King Charles and Queen Camilla stepping out of a Tardis – and a mechanical Loch Ness monster roaring the first few bars of Flower of Scotland.
The Tardis was a nod to the fact that police boxes were designed by the Scottish architect Gilbert MacKenzie Trench. But the Doctor Who reference proved to be doubly apt given the Games faced being exterminated until Glasgow stepped in after Victoria pulled out due to financial pressures.
Outlander star Sam Heughan met the Loch Ness Monster during the opening ceremony. Dressed in a grey kilt and waistcoat, Heughan ran onto the Celtic knot stage at the Hydro arena and playfully touched Nessie's nose as she emerged from a CGI loch before a stirring rendition of "Flower of Scotland".
The interaction between the two famous Scottish icons served as one of the major highlights of the event's cultural segment. It marked a continuation of a tradition, as the Loch Ness Monster previously appeared at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremonies in Edinburgh in 1986, as well as the 2014 Games in Glasgow.Heughan, a prominent ambassador for Scottish culture, took the spotlight to "tame" Nessie in a uniquely theatrical way. The highly visual moment was celebrated by fans and viewers across the globe.
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