In 1958, Charles was a nine-year-old schoolboy when Cardiff hosted what were then known as the British Empire and Commonwealth Games.

A few days before they were to begin, The Queen had written a message of greeting to competitors. This was consigned to a specially designed Baton. 

The late Sir Roger Bannister was then the first runner in a Relay which carried the message to Cardiff. It was the first time such a Relay had taken place but it has now become an integral part of the ritual of the Games.

The plan was that The Queen would tour Wales and arrive in Cardiff in time to close the Games.

The words of the royal message at the opening were read by her husband, Prince Philip.

They ended on a hopeful note.

"I hope that many lasting friendships will be grown from this great meeting of athletes and spectators and that you will go home with a better understanding of the Commonwealth of Nations," the Prince said. "I am greatly looking forward to being with you at the end of next week."

Those words were in vain. In the days that followed it became clear that the Queen had become ill with catarrhal sinusitis and would be unable to attend the Closing Ceremony in person.

Instead, the decision was taken for her to record a message. This was to be played over the loudspeakers to the crowd at Cardiff Arms Park.

"By a cruel stroke of fate, I have been prevented from visiting North and South Wales," she said. "I regret particularly not being with you in Cardiff today for this great meeting of Commonwealth athletes.

"I want to speak to take this opportunity of speaking to all Welsh people, not only in this arena but wherever they may be.

"The British Empire and Commonwealth Games in the capital, together with all the activities of the festival of Wales, have made this a memorable year for the principality.

"I have therefore decided to mark it further with an act that I hope will give as much pleasure to all Welshmen as it does to me. I intend to create my son Charles Prince of Wales today. When he is grown up I will present him to you at Caernarvon."

The last part of the message was drowned out by cheering crowds in the stadium.

At the time, Organising Committee chairman Sir Godfrey Llewellyn had described the gesture as "a matter of great joy shared by all our Empire and Commonwealth friends". 

"That the announcement was made at the end of the Games was a signal honour," he said.

Last September, Sir Godfrey's daughter Gwenllian Hacket-Pain met Baton runners when they passed through Monmouth in South Wales as part of the 2018 Relay.

"I was there at the Closing Ceremony in 1958 when the recorded announcement was played," she said.

"Nobody knew anything about it so it was a great surprise when it was announced that Charles would become Prince of Wales.

"The wonderful thing was that the whole crowd burst into song with 'God Bless the Prince of Wales.'"

Before the next Games, held in Perth in 1962, there had been speculation that the Queen might attend and bring her children with her, but in the event only Prince Philip travelled to Western Australia.

So it was not until 1966 that Prince Charles first attended the Commonwealth Games in person. That year they were held in Kingston, Jamaica.

Charles had just finished a spell at Geelong Grammar School in Australia and he joined his sister Princess Anne in Jamaica. They accompanied Prince Philip who opened and closed the Games in his role as President of the British Commonwealth Games Federation.

Before they left Kingston, the Prince joined his father in planting Banyan trees close to the swimming pool in the stadium precincts. They were helped by Horace Shaw, an official at the Games.

In 1970, the Games were held much closer to home in Edinburgh. The Royal family traditionally spend their holidays in Scotland and Charles went with his parents to the swimming competitions before a reception at Holyrood, the royal residence in the Scottish capital.

Charles also watched Kenya's Kip Keino win the 1,500 metres and Lynn Davies of Wales take gold in the long jump. Later in the week, the Prince visited the Welsh team at the Athletes' Village. He had been formally invested as Prince of Wales the year before.

Four years later, Charles was serving on the frigate HMS Jupiter which moored alongside the Royal Yacht Britannia. Again he linked up with the other members of his family for the 1974 Games held in Christchurch.

The Prince even presented medals to Gillian Gilks and Margaret Beck, ladies doubles gold medallists in badminton.

The 1986 Games were threatened by political boycott and financial difficulties. Charles and then-wife Diana had been visiting Shetland and were roped in to attend a film premiere in aid of the Games appeal. 

Hannah and Her Sisters was shown at Edinburgh's Odeon cinema. The royal couple also visited the main dining hall in the Games Village. Newspapers reported that Diana opted for a salad while Charles chose a dish with salmon.

The 2018 Games will be the second time that Charles has been asked to open them. The first time was at Delhi 2010, where he found himself at the centre of a political dispute over who should formally do the honours. Traditionally this is performed by the Queen's representative but the Indian Government were unhappy.

Clarence House moved to defuse the tension, insisting that "both the Prince of Wales and the Indian President will have a prominent role in the Opening Ceremony".

Wrestler Sushil Kumar, destined to win gold later in the Games, was the final Batonbearer and handed it to the Prince. In itself this was unusual, as the Baton usually passes through the hands of an official.

With the Duchess of Cornwall at his side, the Prince then read the words of the Queen.

"It is particularly fitting that the 2010 Commonwealth Games are being held in India," he said. 

"Recently we have celebrated the 60th anniversary of the London declaration when Indian independence brought into being, the modern Commonwealth of Nations.

"I firmly believe that when countries can compete in sports together like this, it serves as an inspiration to all nations to work together for peace throughout the world. I send my very best wishes for what I hope will be the experience of a lifetime."

He then made the official proclamation: "Madame President, ladies and gentlemen, I have very much pleasure in declaring the 19th Commonwealth Games open".

In a break with tradition, the Indian President Pratibha Patil made an extended address after the official opening.

"Let me wish the athletes the very best in their dedicated pursuit of excellence," she said.

"The Commonwealth Games are now open, let the Games begin."

Although Charles did attend the 2014 Games in Glasgow, he played no formal role in proceedings which were opened by the Queen.

Charles has already seen the 2018 Baton at close quarters. 

His visit to Singapore in October coincided with the festivities to mark the arrival of the Relay and he received the Baton briefly from Singapore's Clarence Chew, a 21-year-old who won table tennis gold at the 2014 Games in Glasgow.