Olympic torch handed over to London

Princess Anne of Britain hands over the torch with the olympic flame to be prepared for the journey to London during the handover ceremony of the Olympic flame for the 2012 London Olympics at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens on May 17, 2012.

Special Section: London Olympics 2012

A torchbearer runs with the Olympic flame during a ceremony at Panathenaean stadium in Athens, May 17, 2012.

Special Section: London Olympics 2012

Participants dance during the Olympic Flame handover ceremony for the 2012 London Olympics at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens on May 17, 2012. The Olympic torch handover ceremony was held at the Panathenaic Stadium with Greece giving the flame to British officials ahead of the London 2012 Games.

Special Section: London Olympics 2012

Actress Ino Menegaki in the role of the high priestess hands the torch with the flame to the Greek Olympic Committee president, Spyros Kapralos, during the handover ceremony of the Olympic flame for the 2012 London Olympics at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens on May 17, 2012.

Special Section: London Olympics 2012

Torchbearers Pyrros Dimas, right, and Li Ning, left, stand with the Olympic Flame at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens on May 17, 2012. The Olympic torch handover ceremony was held at the Panathenaic Stadium, with Greece giving the flame to British officials ahead of the London 2012 Games.

Special Section: London Olympics 2012

Actress Ino Menegaki, in the role of the high priestess, holds the torch with the flame during the handover of the Olympic flame for the 2012 London Olympics in a ceremony at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens on May 17, 2012.

Special Section: London Olympics 2012

Actress Ino Menegaki, in the role of the high priestess, holds up the torch during the handover ceremony of the Olympic flame for the 2012 London Olympics at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens on May 17, 2012.

Special Section: London Olympics 2012

The last torchbearers, both Olympic gold medalists, are Greek weightlifting athlete Pyrros Dimas, right, and Chinese gymnastics athlete, Liu Ning. They hold the torch with the Olympic flame during the handover ceremony of the Olympic flame for the 2012 London Olympics at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens on May 17, 2012.

Special Section: London Olympics 2012

Actress Ino Menegaki in the role of the high priestess holds up the torch during the handover ceremony of the Olympic flame for the 2012 London Olympics at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens on May 17, 2012.

Special Section: London Olympics 2012

Britain's Princess Anne holds the torch with the Olympic Flame during the handover of the Olympic flame for the 2012 London Olympics at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens on May 17, 2012. At the handover ceremony, Greece gave the flame to British officials ahead of the London 2012 Games.

Special Section: London Olympics 2012

British soccer star David Beckam, center, arrives at the Olympic Flame handover ceremony at Athens' all-marble Panathenian stadium on May 17, 2012. The ceremony was held for Greece to give the flame to British officials ahead of the London 2012 Games.

Special Section: London Olympics 2012

The last torchbearers, Olympic gold medalists Pyrros Dimas, right, and Liu Ning hold the torch with the Olympic flame during the handover ceremony for the 2012 London Olympics at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens on May 17, 2012.

Special Section: London Olympics 2012

The last torchbearers, Greek weightlifting athlete Pyrros Dimas and Chinese gymnastics athlete Liu Ning, left, light a torch for the last Olympic flame relay during the handover ceremony for the 2012 London Olympics at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens on May 17, 2012.

Special Section: London Olympics 2012

Britain's Princess Anne, right, takes the torch with the Olympic flame from President of the Greek Olympic Committee Spyros Kapralos during a ceremony at Panathinean stadium in Athens, May 17, 2012.

Special Section: London Olympics 2012

London Mayor Boris Johnson, left, and British soccer player David Beckam, center, attend the Olympic Flame handover ceremony at Athens' all-marble Panathenaic stadium on May 17, 2012.

Special Section: London Olympics 2012