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Camilla’s perceived indifference at Comm Games opening ceremony put down to jet-lag

COMM Games officials have moved to explain the Duchess of Cornwall’s perceived lack of interest in the opening ceremony.

Tyson Otto
3 min read
April 5, 2018 - 9:46PM
GC2018 Opening night: the good, the bad and the ugly

COMMONWEALTH officials have explained Camilla’s behaviour during Wednesday night’s opening ceremony. She was knackered.

The Duchess of Cornwall was sprung by Channel 7 cameras appearing to show indifference to the athletes, officials and artists that featured in the blockbuster beginning to the 2018 Gold Coast Games.

But Commonwealth Games Federation president Louise Martin told a media briefing on Thursday morning the second wife of Prince Charles was badly jet-lagged during the ceremony, despite arriving in Australia 36 hours before it began.

The Duchess was spotted on several occasions reading a program while appearing to pay the ceremony no attention — even when being welcomed by Gold Coast 2018 chairman Peter Beattie before they were escorted onto a stage in the middle of Carrara Stadium.

When asked if opening ceremony organisers could have done anything to hold the Duchess’ attention, Martin said: “Can I assure you that is absolutely not true.”

“That’s what she came over as. She was absolutely shattered. She was jet-lagged,” Martin said.

Martin said a day of travelling from Wagga Wagga to the Gold Coast, which included a drive from Brisbane to the Gold Coast, did the Duchess in.

“She’d just got off the plane in the morning with a full duty right through (the day),” Martin said.

“And then she sat in the car from Brisbane down to here. She got 20 minutes to change before she was due at another reception.

“When you’re back to back like that off a long haul flight ... and she literally hates flying. She really does, she hates it. She really wanted to go to sleep.

“She really enjoyed herself. I didn’t see the facial expressions et cetera, but the comments between the Duchess and Prince Charles and myself, she was asking questions all the time. They both enjoyed it.”

Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, with Aboriginal elder Patricia O'Connor and Peter Beattie.
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, with Aboriginal elder Patricia O'Connor and Peter Beattie.

Beattie admitted he probably would also have been reading the program rather than listening to his speech.

“I obviously didn’t see what you’re referring to there, but she was enthusiastic in my dealings with her. And was really positive,” Beattie said.

Fans of the Commonwealth Games didn’t know whether to be angry or bemused by Camilla’s perceived lack of interest in Gold Coast’s biggest night.

The Duchess of Cornwall’s performance on the stage in the middle of Carrara Stadium was part of a series of other bizarre moments that threatened to steal the show away from the army of volunteers, performers and athletes to feature in the three-hour spectacular.

The term “Camilla” was briefly trending on Twitter on Wednesday night as fans debated the royal’s apparent lack of interest.

Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, officially opened the Games on behalf of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in a speech addressed to the entire Commonwealth.

Prince Charles and Camilla arrived in Queensland hours before the games festivities officially began and entered the stadium shortly after a heavy downpour fell on the Gold Coast minutes before the ceremony was scheduled to begin.

“Over the years these ‘Friendly Games’ have shown the potential of the Commonwealth to connect people of different backgrounds and nationalities,” the Prince told the near-capacity crowd in the 35,000-seat Carrara Stadium.

The bizarre moments that plagued the ceremony started right from the athletes’ procession, with the eclectic uniforms sparking heated debate over which was the worst-dressed country at the Commonwealth Games.

Wales’ entry in a striking Hawaiian shirt-like ensemble was the early leader in a competitive field.

The cheekiest addition to the weird and wacky moments was spotted early on when an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction saw viewers around the world subjected to a full moon during Ricki-Lee Coulter’s beach-themed performance.

Originally published as Camilla’s perceived indifference at Comm Games opening ceremony put down to jet-lag

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/commonwealth-games/camilla-duchess-of-cornwall-criticised-for-indifferent-appearance/news-story/6d43d4e4c9df0cbf7766b452d0e6ace6