Britain's Queen Elizabeth II will launch the Baton Relay. Picture: AP

The relay will begin with a grand ceremony on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace before the torch, carrying a special message from the Queen, heads off on a 388-day, 230,000km journey to the Gold Coast.

The Queen, her husband Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh, and their son Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, will send the torch on its way for a grand tour of all 52 Commonwealth nations and territories in Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, Oceania, Asia and Europe before it arrives to spend the final 100 days on Australian soil.

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Britain's Queen Elizabeth II will launch the Baton Relay. Picture: APSource:AP

The tradition, which started in 1958, will also see the torch make an appearance at an interfaith

service at Westminster Abbey Monday, in front of the Queen and Prince Philip, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, and Princes Harry, Andrew and Edward.

Former Queensland premier Peter Beattie, in his capacity as chairman of the Gold Coast Games,

elders from the Yugambeh people, and the president of the Commonwealth Games Federation,

Louise Martin, will be presented to the Queen.

Kurt Fearnley will deliver the baton to Buckingham Palace.Source:Supplied

Inspirational Paralympic gold medallist Kurt Fearnley will deliver the baton to Buckingham Palace, travelling down The Mall accompanied by the Band of the Scots Guard.

Children and young people bearing flags from 70 nations will line the forecourt, while Gold Coast singer Cody Simpson will perform.

Simpson will also perform later at Westminster Abbey.

Cody Simpson will also perform at Westminster Abbey. Picture: GettySource:Getty Images

The Band of the Scots Guard will perform the national anthems of Australia and the UK, then the Queen will place her message into the baton, which will be sealed before starting its roundabout journey to Australia.

Its first stop after London will be Sierra Leone in Africa.

Australian cyclist Anna Meares, the most decorated female track cyclist of all time, has the honour of being the first torchbearer, and will hand the baton to her former rival, English cyclist Victoria Pendleton.

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Anna Meares will be the first torchbearer. Picture: AAPSource:Supplied

It has been tradition since the 1958 Cardiff games for the baton relay to carry a message from the Queen calling the Commonwealth’s athletes together in peaceful and friendly competition.

The Queen, who is also head of the Commonwealth, will spend Monday at a series of events marking Commonwealth Day, which celebrates the 52 nations and 2.5 billion who make up the

Commonwealth.

Her subjects will also be celebrating her — at 90 years of age, she has been Queen

for 65 years, and is the longest-serving monarch in the world.

More than 6600 athletes and officials will attend the XXI Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast from April 4-15 next year, with 3000 international journalists putting the spotlight on Queensland and its attractions.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Paluszczuk is leading a delegation in London this week preparing for the Games.

Former Queensland premier Peter Beattie and chairman of the Gold Coast Games will attend the start of the Baton Relay. Picture Mike BatterhamSource:News Corp Australia

Originally published as Comm Games countdown begins in earnest