Gold Coast, March 19 (NsNewsWire) — ith GC2018 taking place on the Gold Coast in Australia from 4 April, GC2018 examines the Royal Family’s enduring relationship with the ‘Friendly Games’.

Known as the ‘Friendly Games’ for its atmosphere of good sportsmanship, fair competition and encouragement for all participants, the Commonwealth Games have enjoyed the support of the royal family for many years.

The forerunner of what is today known as the Commonwealth Games took place in 1911.

Held as part of the Festival of the Empire to coincide with the coronation of King George V, the Inter-Empire Championships were held in London with sporting teams from Australia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

The idea of a sporting event for athletes from across the Empire was established and the first British Empire Games took place in 1930 in Hamilton in Canada featuring seven sports: athletics, boxing, lawn bowls, rowing, swimming, diving and wrestling.

These first Games were opened by the Governor-General of Canada, Lord Willingdon on behalf of King George V and messages were read out from both the King and the Prince of Wales.

Further Games took place in 1934 in London, in 1938 in Sydney, and again after the Second World War in Auckland in 1950.

https://www.gc2018.com/article/history-royal-family-and-commonwealth-games