Greatest show on Earth begins!

With the nation’s feel-good barometer soaring, hundreds of thousands lined the streets of London in brilliant sunshine yesterday to give a spectacular welcome to the Olympic torch ahead of tonight’s opening ceremony, which will be watched by a global television audience of four billion. After seven years of planning and a 69-day trek covering 8,000 miles, the flame that was ignited ten weeks ago in Olympia completed the final leg of its journey in a blaze of glory.


The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will be there, among international royalty and 120 world leaders. First Lady Michelle Obama will head the US delegation with her children.


The celebrity A-list will include Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Olympic gold medal winner and boxing legend Muhammad Ali, James Bond star Daniel Craig and Sir Paul McCartney.