The opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games has begun.
The show is kicking off with a film about the River Thames, followed by a countdown and the release of four balloons carrying the five Olympic rings to the edge of space.
The ringing of a giant bell made especially for the games ushers in what promises to be a quirky three-hour journey through British culture and history. Thousands of athletes were set to parade before 60,000 spectators, including Queen Elizabeth II and an A-list of global celebrities.
Officials want the details of the $42.3 million extravaganza to be a secret so that viewers can be surprised, but the show's director has disclosed some things.
The British government says more than 80 heads of state and government will be in the audience, including royalty from Brunei, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden.
Meanwhile, First Lady Michelle Obama will help lead the U.S. delegation in London during the opening ceremony.
On Saturday, Mrs. Obama is scheduled to meet with Samantha Cameron, the wife of British Prime Minister David Cameron, before watching American athletes on the first full day of Olympic competition. She's scheduled to see more events before departing Sunday.
Other first ladies who have led recent U.S. Olympic delegations include Hillary Clinton at Lillehammer in 1994 and Laura Bush at Turin in 2006.
And - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann, are attending the opening ceremony. The event punctuates the first leg of a three-nation tour that also takes him to Israel and Poland.
It's the first international swing for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, who has crafted an itinerary designed to showcase his diplomatic skills and political strengths.
Romney has said he'll attend at least one event in addition to the opening ceremony. The family has a horse competing in an equestrian event known as dressage. But Romney told Britain's Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg that he would prefer to watch swimming. (AP)
