The
opening ceremony of the
2012 Summer Olympic Games took place on the evening of Friday 27 July in the
Olympic Stadium,
London. As mandated by the
Olympic Charter, the proceedings combined the formal ceremonial opening of this international sporting event (including welcoming speeches, hoisting of the flags and the parade of athletes) with an artistic spectacle to showcase the host nation's culture. The 2012 Games were formally opened by Queen
Elizabeth II. The spectacle was entitled
Isles of Wonder and directed by
Academy Award-winning British film director
Danny Boyle.