Princess Anne was animated as she enjoyed a day out at the Commonwealth Games this afternoon - joined by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.

The royals made their way to Glasgow, where they have today been taking in the action in the stands.

King Charles's sister, 75, was chic in a light beige trench coat and sunglasses, sat next to her husband Timothy Laurence and Commonwealth Sport Vice President Hugh Graham at Scotstoun Stadium.

Nearby, Sophie, 61, and Prince Edward, 62, were attentively observing today's events - which include hurdles, the triple jump and the decathlon, among others.

Stylish Sophie opted for a summery linen blazer worn over a white top with khaki trousers, while the Duke was casual in a navy zip-up and polo.

Anne also later visited the Commonwealth offices - showing off a second, lighter denim jacket and blue scarf, shaking hands with staff.

The Firm members looked to be in good spirits as they enjoyed a sporty day out, often laughing and excitedly pointing at the action at the stadium. 

It comes as, for the first time in 72 years, the BBC is not covering the Commonwealth Games – to the anger of fans and athletes competing in Glasgow.

TNT Sports has the live UK broadcast rights, after owner Warner Bros Discovery paid a reported £5million, meaning the televised English–language coverage will only be accessible via an HBO subscription.

And talkSPORT has taken over as the radio broadcast partner of the event, so there will be no such coverage on the BBC either. The corporation reportedly tried to extend its broadcast partnership, which has lasted since 1954, but was outbid. It has made no secret about prioritising other events.

HBO Max subscription prices range from £4.99 to £14.99 per month, depending on the plan.

But all hope is not lost for those determined to find free TV coverage, as UK viewers can watch some of the Games on BBC Alba – the Beeb's Gaelic channel.

This is due to the corporation still agreeing deals for TV packages that are only available in indigenous languages. Channel 5, meanwhile, is showing highlights with advert breaks.

Critics say the BBC's public funding model means it should be committed to showing national events such as the Games. It has already faced criticism over its scaled–back coverage of the World Cup, which saw pundits stay at its Salford studio for most of the tournament.

In 2022, when the Games were in Birmingham, the corporation broadcast 200 hours of action, across up to 11 live streams. Organiser Commonwealth Sport has faced recent financial problems, with it subsequently being accused of prioritising a more lucrative broadcast deal over the wider reach of free–to–air live coverage.

This year's edition was almost cancelled after original hosts Victoria in Australia backed out, due to projected costs. Glasgow stepped in to host a streamlined version, with just ten sports compared to 19 four years ago.

On the broadcast rights, former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies criticised a poor offer from the BBC and a 'bad decision' by the Games' organising committee. She said: 'The right level of exposure was important to guarantee the future of these Games.'

Gymnast Luke Whitehouse, who competed on Sunday, told the Daily Mail: 'It's definitely different [not as much publicity].

'There are still people at home watching – it's not free to watch but hopefully people can watch it one way or another.'

And fans also expressed disappointment at the lack of free–to–air options.

Rev Glyn Wise wrote online: 'Why is the Commonwealth Games not on the #BBC this year? I absolutely love sports but it feels slightly pushed to one side this year!'

This year's edition will feature 3,000 athletes for 215 events and see more than 1,000 medals handed out. King Charles officially opened the Games at the Hydro Arena on Thursday.

The BBC did not comment.