The Royal couple drew gasps and cheers from the audience at the Hydro as they appeared on stage in Glasgow.

King Charles and Queen Camilla emerged from a Tardis at the start of a spectacular Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Glasgow. The royal couple drew gasps and cheers from the audience at the Hydro as they appeared on a stage that had been turned into a giant garden. Flags from 74 nations and territories were carried into the arena during the event, which also featured the Loch Ness monster and performances from Nathan Evans, Tom Walker and KT Tunstall. The show celebrated the story of Glasgow - from its industrial past to its vibrant nightlife - ahead of a Games that will see 215 medals awarded across 10 sports. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Scotland's First Minister John Swinney and First Minister of Wales Rhun ap Iorwerth were among the dignitaries in the royal box for a show that lasted two hours and 20 minutes. Glasgow, which hosted the event in 2014, stepped in to stage it for a second time after the Australian state Victoria pulled out due to soaring costs. Although on a smaller scale to previous editions, the 23rd Games will see a record 47 para-sports events. In a surreal opening scene, six-time Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy emerged from the Tardis to cheers before he was, to the audience's surprise, followed by the King and Queen.