Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games: Let the Games Begin
Wednesday March 15, 2006
Queen Elizabeth II opened the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games tonight during the opening ceremony which included events on the Yarra River and within the Melbourne Cricket Ground, capped by a display of fireworks.
Accompanying the Queen was Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Also attending the opening ceremony were the royal couple's youngest son, Prince Edward, along with Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Victoria Premier Steve Bracks.
Some 4500 athletes from 71 nations are competing in 16 sports with 24 disciplines at the Melbourne Games which end with the closing ceremony on March 26.
The Friendly Games, as they are called, are held in various venues in Victoria but mainly in Melbourne within three kilometres of the city centre. The Melbourne Cricket Ground was the venue for the opening ceremony and will again be the venue for the closing ceremony.
In Melbourne for the Games, the first public engagement for the Queen and Prince Philip was a luncheon at the World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building.
The building is where the first sitting of the Australian Federal Parliament was held in 1901.
The Queen is expected to spend most of Thursday in Melbourne before leaving Australia for Singapore.
Accompanying the Queen was Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Also attending the opening ceremony were the royal couple's youngest son, Prince Edward, along with Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Victoria Premier Steve Bracks.
Some 4500 athletes from 71 nations are competing in 16 sports with 24 disciplines at the Melbourne Games which end with the closing ceremony on March 26.
The Friendly Games, as they are called, are held in various venues in Victoria but mainly in Melbourne within three kilometres of the city centre. The Melbourne Cricket Ground was the venue for the opening ceremony and will again be the venue for the closing ceremony.
In Melbourne for the Games, the first public engagement for the Queen and Prince Philip was a luncheon at the World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building.
The building is where the first sitting of the Australian Federal Parliament was held in 1901.
The Queen is expected to spend most of Thursday in Melbourne before leaving Australia for Singapore.
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