Wedding Guest List: Trumps, Obamas, And You?

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle caused a stir among US and UK officials, who were concerned about the potential reaction of President Donald Trump if his predecessor, Barack Obama, was invited and he was not. Ultimately, neither the Trumps nor the Obamas were invited to the wedding, with a Kensington Palace spokesman stating that the guest list would consist of people with an existing direct relationship with the couple. This decision was made to avoid the potential diplomatic awkwardness of inviting one and not the other, given the reported personal rapport between Harry and Obama, and Harry and Markle's alleged dislike of Trump.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not invite Trump or Obama to their wedding

> "It has been decided that an official list of political leaders – both UK and international – is not required for Prince Harry and Ms Markle's wedding. Her Majesty's Government was consulted on this decision, which was taken by The Royal Household."

A Kensington Palace source confirmed that the wedding guests would be people who have an existing direct relationship with the couple. This excluded Trump and Obama.

There had been some speculation that the Obamas might be invited due to the personal rapport between former president Obama and Harry. However, it would have been diplomatically awkward to invite the Obamas and not the Trumps. The royal family is expected to steer clear of politics, but Britain's constitutional balance means that its members consult with the government to ensure their public actions comply with foreign policy.

The wedding venue, St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, was significantly smaller than Westminster Abbey, where Harry's brother William wed Kate Middleton in 2011 in the presence of then Prime Minister David Cameron and other politicians and diplomats. Obama, who was then in office, was not invited to that wedding either, and the United States was represented by its ambassador to the United Kingdom.

The Royal Family is expected to steer clear of politics

The Royal Family's relationship with the Obamas and the Trumps has also been a source of political tension. When Prince Harry married Meghan Markle, neither the Obamas nor the Trumps were invited to the wedding. This was a deliberate decision to avoid the appearance of taking political sides. There had been speculation that the Obamas might be invited due to their personal rapport with Harry, but inviting them and not the Trumps would have been diplomatically awkward.

The guest list for a royal wedding is always a delicate matter, and the inclusion or exclusion of political leaders can have significant implications. In the case of Harry and Meghan's wedding, the decision to exclude official political leaders was made by the Royal Household in consultation with the British government. This decision was likely influenced by the venue's smaller size compared to previous royal weddings, such as the wedding of Harry's older brother William and Kate Middleton, which was attended by then Prime Minister David Cameron and other politicians and diplomats.

While the Royal Family is expected to remain politically neutral, there are times when their actions or relationships can cause political tensions or be perceived as taking political sides. In such situations, the Royal Household works to navigate these complexities and maintain a delicate balance.

The wedding venue was smaller than Westminster Abbey, where Prince William wed Kate Middleton

The wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry caused quite a stir among US and UK officials due to the question of whether the Obamas and Trumps would be invited. The wedding venue, St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, was smaller than Westminster Abbey, where Prince William wed Kate Middleton in 2011. Westminster Abbey has a capacity of 2,000 people, and on the day of William and Kate's wedding, it was full to capacity with an additional billion people worldwide tuning in to watch live coverage.

The smaller size of St George's Chapel meant that the guest list for Harry and Meghan's wedding could only include 1,200 people. A spokesman for Kensington Palace stated that the couple's wedding would not include an official list of political leaders, and that the guest list would be reserved for people with an existing direct relationship with the groom or bride.

The decision to exclude political leaders was made by the Royal Household in consultation with the British government. This meant that US President Donald Trump, his predecessor Barack Obama, and British Prime Minister Theresa May were not invited. The Obamas and Trumps were not the only foreign dignitaries to be left out of a royal wedding; French President Nicholas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni were not invited to William and Kate's wedding either.

The exclusion of the Obamas from the guest list for Harry and Meghan's wedding was particularly notable given the reported personal rapport between former President Obama and Prince Harry. There had been some speculation that the Obamas might be invited, which would have been diplomatically awkward as it would have meant inviting the Trumps as well. Ultimately, the potential ego blow to Trump from being snubbed by the Royal Family was a risk that palace officials decided against taking.

The Obamas and Trumps did not attend the wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William in 2011

The wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William was a much larger affair than that of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Many politicians and world leaders attended the wedding, including then-Prime Minister David Cameron and other diplomats. The ceremony was held in Westminster Abbey, and about 1,900 guests were in attendance.

The guest list for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding was more exclusive, with friends and family taking priority over politicians and world leaders. A Kensington Palace spokesman stated that an official list of political leaders was not required for the wedding. This decision was made in consultation with the British government, and the couple's wish to prioritise guests with an existing direct relationship with them.

The Obamas and Trumps were not the only notable absences from the wedding. British Prime Minister Theresa May was also not in attendance, and there had been no expectation that she would be. The wedding venue, St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, was significantly smaller than Westminster Abbey, accommodating 600 guests compared to the 1,900 at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

The absence of the Obamas and Trumps from the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was notable due to the reported closeness between Harry and the Obamas. Michelle Obama had publicly admired the prince, and the couple had traded mock-taunting videos promoting Harry's Invictus Games for wounded military members. Harry had also hosted Obama at Kensington Palace. In contrast, Markle had called Trump "misogynistic" and joked about staying in Canada if he were elected.

The guest list at royal weddings is notoriously selective

The royal couple did not invite political leaders to their wedding. This included former U.S. President Barack Obama, despite his friendship with Prince Harry. It also included then-U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May. A Kensington Palace spokesman confirmed:

> It has been decided that an official list of political leaders – both UK and international – is not required for Prince Harry and Ms Markle’s wedding. Her Majesty’s government was consulted on this decision, which was taken by the royal household.

The guest list for Harry's brother William's wedding to Kate Middleton in 2011 also excluded the Obamas, citing the cost of added security if they were to attend. French President Nicholas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni were also not invited, so it's not unusual for foreign dignitaries to be left out.

The 600-person guest list for Harry and Meghan's ceremony included the Queen and Prince Philip, Prince Charles, William and Kate, Princess Diana's siblings, Priyanka Chopra, the Spice Girls, and Elton John.

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