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Special film released by Commonwealth Games Federation to celebrate Queen's Diamond Jubilee

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06-Jun-2012

By Duncan Mackay

June 3 - The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has released a new film to coincide with the celebrations for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, which are currently taking place across Britain.

The special five-and-a-half minute film, "The Queen and the Games", is narrated by former broadcasting legend Barry Davies and tells the story of her involvement with the Commonwealth Games.

The Queen is the patron of the CGF and had attended every Commonwealth Games since Edinburgh in 1970 until the event in New Delhi two years ago, which she missed, blaming a heavy workload, although it was reported that she was upset at the allegations of corruption that overshadowed the build-up.

A message from the Monarch has been read at every Games since she became Queen in 1952 and in 1958 a new tradition of the Queen's Baton Relay was begun.

At Buckingham Palace, the Queen handed over her Games message, enclosed in a specially designed silver-gilt Baton, to two relay runners.

The Baton was then carried by a relay of runners to the Games in Cardiff so that the message could be read out by the Duke of Edinburgh at the Opening Ceremony.

At Manchester in 2002 the Queen received the Baton - called the Jubilee Baton in recognition of her 50th anniversary as Monarch - at the Opening Ceremony from David Beckham and Kirsty Howard, a young local girl suffering with a serious heart condition.

"We are very proud to mark Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee with this tribute," said Prince Imran, the President of the CGF.

"It is a small marker of the respect we have for her and our thanks for her commitment to the Games over the years."

The Queen is expected to attend the next Games in Glasgow in 2014.

"The Games are the only cement common to all the Commonwealth countries," said Sebastian Coe, the chairman of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

"Sport is the one thing that makes that construction more relevant.

"The Commonwealth Games are really important."

To watch the film click here

Contact the writer of this story at duncan.mackay@insidethegames.biz

 

Source:            http://www.insidethegames.biz/