QUEEN ELIZABETH WILL MISS THIS YEAR'S COMMONWEALTH GAMES

THE QUEEN WILL MISS THIS YEAR'S COMMONWEALTH GAMES, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE ENGLAND WON THE WORLD'S CUP. SOURCES AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE SAY THAT IT'S DUE TO THE HEAVY WORKLOAD AND THE PRINCE CHARLES WILL REPRESENT THE ROYAL FAMILY IN INDIA. THE MESSAGE OF SUPPORT FROM THE MONARCH TO THE ATHLETES WILL BE READ OUT. IT IS THOUGHT TO BE TE FIRST TIME SINCE 1966, THE YEARS OF ENGLAND'S ONLY FOOTBALLING WORLD CUP TRIUMPH, THAT THE QUEEN WILL NOT BE ATTENDING ANY PART OF TE EVENT. THE PALACE SPOKESMAN CONFIRMED THAT THE QUEEN HAD A FULL SCHEDULE OF APPOINTMENTS DURING THE AUTUMN WHICH DID NOT INCLUDE A STATE VISIT TO DELHI IN OCTOBER. HE SAID: 'IT IS CORRECT TO SAY THAT THE QUEEN WILL NOT BE ATTENDING THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES THIS YEAR. THE SHEER VOLUME OF ENGAGEMENTS THIS AUTUMN, COUPLED WITH OTHER OVERSEAS VISITS, MEANS SHE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND.' THE BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION IN DELHI INSISTED IT WAS 'DELIGHTED' THAT PRINCE CHARLES WOULD REPRESENT HER MAJESTY AT THE OPENING CEREMONY ON 3.OCTOBER. THE QUEEN DESCRIBED THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES AS A 'GREAT SPORTING CELEBRATION' DURING HER SPEECH TO OPEN THE PREVIOUS GAMES IN MELBOURNE IN 2006. SHE SAID: 'THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES ARE A PRODUCT OF OUR UNIQUE ORGANIZATION AS WELL AS A TANGIBLE EXAMPLE OF THE VALUE OF THE PARTNERSHIP OF PEOPLES.' MEANWHILE, THE ENGLAND TEAM'S ANTHEM FOR THIS YEAR'S EVENT IS SET TO CHANGE AFTER A NATIONAL POLL FOUND JERUSALEM WAS NOW THE MOST POPULAR CHOICE. ATHLETES HAVE STOOD TO ATTENTION FOR THE STIRRING LAND OF HOPE AND GLORY FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS SINCE IT REPLACED GOD SAVE THE QUEEN. BUT JERUSALEM, TAKEN FROM A WILLIAM BLAKE POEM, ATTRACTED 53% OF THE VOTE IN A YOUGOV SURVEY.ENGLAND'S WORLD 1500mm SILVER MEDALIST LISA DOBRISKEY SAID: 'IT IS A VERY POWERFUL PIECE OF MUSIC THAT IS CAPABLE OF EVOKING DEEP FEELINGS OF PRIDE AND PATRIOTISM. WE HOPE IT WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SOUNDS OF SUCCESS THIS SUMMER.' LAND OF HOPE AND GLORY GARNERED 35% OF VOTES WHILE GOD SAVE THE QUEEN WAS PREFERRED BY JUST 12% OF THOSE TAKING PART IN THE POLL. HOWEVER, THE TRADITIONAL GOD SAVE THE QUEEN WILL BE PLAYED BEFORE EACH OF ENGLAND'S MATCHES AT NEXT MONTH'S FOOTBALL WORLD CUP IN SOUTH AFRICA.