Following the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, King Charles helped to kick off the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games baton relay at Buckingham Palace. And not only did he take part, he included his own surprise.

The King handed a specially made baton to Sir Chris Hoy, champion cyclist for Great Britain and one of the country’s greatest ever sports stars, to launch the relay ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The relay has begun 500 days before the games begin and will include all 74 Commonwealth nations. 

This is the first ever King’s Baton Relay and the King left his mark on it. Glaswegian artist Tim Norman created the ash wood baton specially for the relay, his first royal commission. 

King Charles left his own handwritten, personal message sealed inside the baton; it will be read out at the opening ceremony. 

The next three baton bearers joined Sir Chris at Buckingham Palace for the ceremony. Another Scottish sports star, wheelchair racer, Sammi Kinghorn, who has won medals at the Commonwealth and Paralympics Games was there and joined Keiran Healy, an ocean plastics campaigner and Royal Commonwealth Society Volunteer.

The third baton bearer was and Gabriella Wood, a judo star from Trinidad and Tobago, the baton’s first stop outside the UK.

For the first time ever, there are 74 individual batons to allow each Commonwealth nation to decorate it as a reflection of their own heritage and culture. 

It also means the relay will be more sustainable as there will be no need for the baton to be transported by air or sea to reach its next destination. Commonwealth Sport is partnering with the Royal Commonwealth Society  to deliver the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign as the baton relay continues.

The Commonwealth Games start on July 23 2026 in Glasgow.