Spectacular Olympic opening ceremony – in pictures

World

Celebrities and world leaders watched on as the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games got under way.

A global audience of over one billion people is expected to watch the opening ceremony, which has seen the whole of central Paris turned into an open-air theatre.

Earlier, arson attacks on France’s high-speed rail network early on Friday paralysed train travel to Paris for around 800,000 people across Europe, according to the CEO of national railway company SNCF.

Paris Olympics 2024 latest: Lady Gaga and Zinedine Zidane among stars at opening ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Athletes of Great Britain are seen aboard a boat in the floating parade on the river Seine during the opening ceremony. Pool via REUTERS/Nir Elias
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Team GB athletes aboard a boat in the floating parade on the River Seine. Pic: Reuters

Flagbearers Thomas Daley and Helen Glover.
Pic: Reuters
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British flagbearers Thomas Daley and Helen Glover. Pic: Reuters

Tennis players Andy Murray and Jack Draper of Britain wave flags on the team boat
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British tennis players Andy Murray and Jack Draper wave flags on the team boat. Pic: Reuters

Lady Gaga performs in Paris, France, ahead of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Pic:AP
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Lady Gaga performs at the opening ceremony. Pic: Reuters

Athletes of Refugee Olympic Team aboard a boat in the floating parade.
Pic: Reuters
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Athletes of the Refugee Olympic Team aboard a boat in the floating parade. Pic: Reuters

Smoke resembling the flag of France.
Pic:PA
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Smoke resembling the flag of France. Pic:PA

Tthe Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral on the Ile de la Cite, right, as boats carrying Olympic athletes float along the Seine in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony.
Pic AP
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The Notre-Dame during the opening ceremony. Pic AP

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo arrive at the Trocadero ahead of the opening ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Pic: PA
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Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande arrive at the Trocadero ahead of the opening ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Pic: PA

John Legend and his wife Chrissy Teigen arrives at the Trocadero ahead of the opening ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 
Pic: PA
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John Legend with his wife Chrissy Teigen and their children. Pic: PA

Serena Williams arriving at the Trocadero ahead of the opening ceremony.
Pic: PA
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Serena Williams. Pic: PA

Chris Hoy and Rebecca Adlington arrive at the Trocadero ahead of the opening ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Pic PA
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Rebecca Adlington and Chris Hoy. Pic: PA

Anna Wintour with Australian film director Baz Luhrmann at the Trocadero ahead of the opening ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Pic: PA
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Anna Wintour with Australian film director Baz Luhrmann. Pic: PA

Pharrell Williams arrives at the Trocadero ahead of the opening ceremony.
Pic: PA
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Pharrell Williams arrives at the Trocadero ahead of the opening ceremony.
Pic: PA

Keir Starmer shelters from the rain
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer shelters from the rain. Pic: Reuters

Albert II, Prince of Monaco with his wife Charlene, Princess of Monaco arriving at the Trocadero ahead of the opening ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Picture date: Friday July 26, 2024.
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Albert II, Prince of Monaco with his wife Charlene, Princess of Monaco. Pic: PA

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