
The words of the Queen will once more open the Commonwealth Games, this year in the Gold Coast, Australia.

While not in attendance, her speech will be delivered from a written note inside the Queen's Baton Relay, which has traveled throughout the Commonwealth before the Games.

The Queen has had a long association with the Games during her reign. Here she hands out a medal at the 1970 Games in Edinburgh.

She has tried to play a close role in every Games since, whether handing out medals or at the opening and/or closing ceremonies.

She was on hand to open the 2002 Games along with former England football captain David Beckham.

She was absent from the Games in India in 2010 but again took part in the Queen's Baton Relay.

She was, however, in attendance in Glasgow 2014, meeting the likes of Australian hurdler Sally Pearson.

But she has opted to stay away from Australia having cut down on her long-distance foreign travel.

Instead, her son Prince Charles will be on hand to read out the speech from the Queen's Baton Relay.