Prince Charles is due to arrive in Delhi this Saturday India’s president’s office says a decision has still not been taken on who will open the Commonwealth Games on Sunday.
But the Prince of Wales’s office said he, as the Queen’s representative, would open the event.
As head of the Commonwealth, the Queen would normally open the Games, but Buckingham Palace said in May that she was too busy to attend this year.
Delhi organisers have suggested the Indian president should open the Games.
India’s ANI news agency has also quoted unnamed government sources as saying that in protocol terms it should be President Pratibha Patil who inaugurates the event.
Archana Datta, secretary to the Indian president, said on Monday that the decision had not yet been taken.
But a spokeswoman for Clarence House told the BBC: “There is no row. Both the Prince of Wales and the president of India will have a prominent role in the opening ceremony in Delhi.
“The Queen has asked the Prince of Wales to represent her at the opening of the Commonwealth Games.
“We cannot be specific about the choreography, but the prince will read out the Queen’s baton message, ending by declaring the Games open.”
President Patil and the Queen together launched the Queen’s Baton Relay last October in a ceremony outside Buckingham Palace.
The baton – which has travelled to Commonwealth countries around the world – will arrive in Delhi for Sunday’s opening ceremony.
Meanwhile, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has denied criticising India for the setbacks that have overshadowed the build-up to the event.
CGF chief executive Mike Hooper told the BBC on Sunday his organisation was not to blame for the problems, adding: “These people just did not understand, or seem to accept the magnitude of the problem.”
Preparations for the Games have been marred by a series of high-profile setbacks On Monday, CGF president Mike Fennell defended his colleague’s comments.
In a statement, he said: “Far from any emotive commentary, Mr Hooper merely stated the fact that the responsibility for delivering and operating the Games lies with authorities in India, as per the host city contract.”
Mr Fennell also denied media claims that Mr Hooper had said there was a “population hazard” in Delhi, as he asked Indian officials for 24-hour Games traffic lanes to be operational on the city’s roads during the October 3 to 14 event.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said Mr Hooper had made “a very unkind and undiplomatic remark”.
Mr Fennell said Mr Hooper had been the victim of a “vicious and totally unwarranted attack” from the Indian media.
Several teams delayed their departures to India last week because of concerns over the poor state of the athletes’ village, while preparations have also been hit by failures in the construction of venues.
Last Tuesday a bridge at the Jawaharlal Nehru complex, the centrepiece of the Games, collapsed leaving more than 20 people injured. A day later, part of the ceiling at the weightlifting arena fell in.
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