Queen's Baton Relay

Commonwealth Games
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The Queen's Baton Relay is a relay around the world held prior to the beginning of the Commonwealth Games. The Baton carries a message from the Head of the Commonwealth, currently King Charles III. The Relay traditionally begins at Buckingham Palace in London as a part of the city's Commonwealth Day festivities. The King entrusts the baton to the first relay runner. At the Opening Ceremony of the Games, the final relay runner hands the torch back to the King or his representative, who reads the message aloud to officially open the Games. The Queen's Baton Relay is similar to the Olympic Torch Relay.^[1] As a result of Queen Elizabeth II's death on 8 September 2022, the Baton Relay will be renamed as the Kings's Baton Relay in honour of her successor, King Charles III, for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.^[2]