King’s Baton Relay – Commonwealth Games Norfolk Island 9-14 March 2026

This month is a busy time on Norfolk Island, and adding to the excitement is the arrival of the King’s Baton Relay (KBR) from Monday 9 March to Saturday 14 March 2026.

There are special events organised for the week with an official unveiling and welcoming of the King’s Baton at Norfolk Island Government House on Monday late afternoon. There more activities planned during the week including visiting Norfolk Island Central School, and other activities which will be announced by the Norfolk Island organisers during the week. On Wednesday afternoon around 4:30pm the KBR will be at the Norfolk Island Bowling Club and also photographs of the Commonwealth Games Bowling team will be organised.

Here on Norfolk Island, the King’s Baton Relay organisers are Norfolk Island Amateur Sports & Commonwealth Games Association (NIASCA) Email: niasa@ninet.nf

The organisers have been busy for many months organising the KBR as well as assisting with the arrangements for the Norfolk Island sporting teams travelling to Glasgow, Scotland in July for this 2026 Commonwealth Games. The teams representing Norfolk Island is the men’s and ladies’ Lawn Bowlers, along with team managers and the Chef de Mission, John Groat.

Each of the 74 nations and territories will have their own Baton, which they are invited to decorate. Last year in October 2025, the local community were invited to design artwork for the Norfolk Island King’s Baton. I look forward to seeing the amazing design work that has been created for our Norfolk Island King’s Baton.

Your design, Our Baton, One Global; Journey.

“Let’s create something truly Norfolk that will shine on the world stage. Embracing the Norfolk Island unique culture and heritage, history, stunning natural environment and community spirit”.

This is the 18th official Baton Relay, and it is the longest-ever relay for a Commonwealth Games, with the Commonwealth Games Associations in the 74 nations and territories each having up to six days to organise their series of activities – more time to celebrate the King’s Baton Relay than ever before. The Relay will last for 500 days. It began on 10 March 2025 and ends at the Glasgow 2026 Opening Ceremony on 23 July 2026. Tens of thousands of Baton-bearers will take part across the Commonwealth throughout

the entire Relay.

The Relay began on 10 March 2025 at Buckingham Palace, where His Majesty King Charles III, as Head of the Commonwealth, placed His Message to the Commonwealth into the first Baton.

The International Route

The Caribbean was the first Commonwealth region destination for the King’s Baton Relay, with Trinidad and Tobago starting its Baton celebrations on Tuesday 11 March 2025. The Caribbean part of the Baton Relay culminated in St Vincent and the Grenadines on Saturday 14 June, before the Relay moved to Africa (15 June to 30 October 2025), then Asia (31 October to 21 December 2025), Oceania (2 January to 26 March 2026), Americas (27 March to 6 May 2026), and Europe (8 May to 23 July 2026).

https://www.commonwealthsport.com/kings-baton-relay/route

The King’s Baton Relay was in the Cook Islands from 3 March to 8 March 2026, then this week on Norfolk Island 9 March to 14 March 2026. The next country after Norfolk Island is New Zealand 15 March to 20 March, followed by Australia 21 March to 26 March 2026.

https://www.commonwealthsport.com/kings-baton-relay/faqs

The King’s Baton Relay is a Games tradition that celebrates, embraces and connects communities across the Commonwealth, as the countdown to the Commonwealth Games. It’s an epic journey across the world, with Batons visiting all 74 nations and territories of the Commonwealth, reaching the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, the Americas, Oceania, and Europe.

A Baton will be created for each nation and territory, for them to customise and decorate with their culture and creativity. The Batons each carry part of a message from His Majesty King Charles III to the Commonwealth and its athletes.

All of the 74 King’s Batons will be re-united at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Commonwealth Games which will be held in Glasgow – Scotland from 23 July 2026 to 2 August 2026.

The Baton has been specially designed, engineered and handmade in Glasgow by skilled makers from a social enterprise named Galgael and master craftsman Tim Norman. The Baton design celebrates the beauty of local natural, sustainable materials and creates a beautiful blank canvas for customisation.

Plastic Clean-up Progress

In every Commonwealth nation and territory, plastic clean-ups will take place in support of the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign to prevent 1 million pieces of plastic from entering our waterways and oceans.

There will be a beach clean on Norfolk Island during the week, the date and time will be announced by the KBR organisers.

https://www.commonwealthsport.com/kings-baton-relay/route

Norfolk Island 9 March to 14 March 2026

Cook Islands 3 March to 8 March 2026

New Zealand 15 March to 20 March 2026

Australia 21 March 2026 to 26 March 2026

I am excited to be invited to photograph the King’s Baton Relay for Norfolk Island this week. It is a special honour to be part of the KBR and the first with His Majesty King Charles III as the commonwealth monarch. I was also privileged to photograph the last two Queen’s Baton Relay (QBR) when they visited Norfolk Island. I am sure I will enjoy taking hundreds of photographs during the week as the community enjoys the opportunity to be part of the King’s Baton Relay.

Betty Matthews

6 March 2026