Thaindian News

London, Sep 28(ANI): Prince Charles would open the Delhi Commonwealth Games on October 3 as the British Queen’s representative, the heir to the British throne’s office has said.

“There is no row. Both the Prince of Wales and the President of India will have a prominent role in the opening ceremony in Delhi,” The BBC quoted a spokeswoman for Clarence House, Prince Charles’s official residence, as saying.

“The Queen has asked the Prince of Wales to represent her at the opening of the Commonwealth Games. We cannot be specific about the choreography, but the prince will read out the Queen’s baton message, ending by declaring the Games open,” she added.

Earlier, it was reported that Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil would declare the October 3-14 Games open, denying the British royal family the traditional honour for the first time in the Games history.

Senior Indian Government aides had claimed that President Patil and not Charles would officially declare the Games open on next Sunday.

The claims, made by officials from the Indian Department for Information and confirmed by sources from the Games’ Organising Committee, had raised questions over the role of the Prince of Wales trip to Delhi next week.

“Although there has not been an official announcement, we have decided the President will open the Games. If the Queen was here it would be different. But she’s not,” an Indian source had said.

The British High Commission in Delhi however had insisted that Prince Charles would represent Her Majesty at the opening ceremony.

As head of the Commonwealth, the Queen would normally open the Games, but Buckingham Palace had said in May that she was too busy to attend the event. (ANI)