The King's Baton Relay: 500 days to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow

Cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy received the baton from King Charles III to mark 500 days until the Commonwealth Games begins in Glasgow

King Charles officially launched the King's Baton Relay at Buckingham Palace on Monday.

This marks the start of the run-up to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, where athletes from 74 nations and territories will be competing across 10 different sports.

The games will take place from July 23 to August 2, 2026, and Monday's events mark 500 days until the start.

Find out more here.

What are the Commonwealth Games?

The Commonwealth Games last took place in Birmingham in 2022

The Commonwealth Games is a multi-sport event which takes place every four years.

The first version of the event was held in Hamilton, Canada, in 1930.

Most of the countries and territories involved in the Commonwealth Games are also part of the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth is made up of 56 countries, many of which had been part of the British Empire.

The British Empire was at one time the largest known empire in the world, until the 20th century when many of the countries it controlled wanted to become independent from Britain.

The Commonwealth was created to help keep friendly relationships with many of the countries that became independent.

Some of the countries in the Commonwealth are very big, like Canada, India, and Australia, while others are small, like the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu.

King Charles is head of the Commonwealth - and this is the reason that he officially opens the Commonwealth Games at the Opening Ceremony.

What is the King’s Baton Relay?

The King placed a secret message into the Commonwealth Games baton

The Baton Relay is an important tradition that takes place in the lead-up to each Commonwealth Games.

A specially designed baton is passed from one "baton bearer" to the next as it travels through different countries in the lead up to the Games.

The 2026 relay, which began in London as part of the Commonwealth Day celebrations, marked the King's first as head of the Commonwealth.

His Majesty placed a sealed message inside the baton, which will remain hidden until the opening ceremony of the Games in July.

Sir Chris Hoy holds the baton next to (from left to right) Gabriella Wood, Sammi Kinghorn and Keiran Healy

The first baton bearer is Scottish cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy, a six-time Olympic gold and two-time Commonwealth gold medallist, who was handed the baton from the King.

The next baton carriers included wheelchair racer Sammi Kinghorn, environmental campaigner Keiran Healy and judo athlete Gabriella Wood from Trinidad & Tobago, who is currently studying at the University of Stirling.

Glasgow last held the event in 2014

The 10 sporting events in next year's Commonwealth Games include:

• Athletics and Para athletics (track & field)

• Swimming and Para swimming

• Artistic gymnastics

• Track cycling and Para-track cycling

• Netball

• Weightlifting and Para powerlifting

• Boxing

• Judo

• Bowls and Para bowls

• 3x3 basketball and 3x3 Wheelchair basketball.

Glasgow hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and stepped in again this time, after the state of Victoria in Australia backed out.

Victoria withdrew in 2023 because it was going to cost too much money to put on the event there, so Glasgow agreed to a smaller version of the Games.