Trump's Royal Wedding Invite: Yes Or No?

Donald Trump was not invited to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in 2018. A Kensington Palace spokesman confirmed that no political leaders, including Trump, would be invited. The decision was made by the royal household in consultation with the UK government. There were speculations that Harry's close friend, Barack Obama, would be invited, which could have caused diplomatic concerns if Trump was not also invited. However, the Obamas were also not on the guest list.

Trump's comments about Princess Diana

Donald Trump was not invited to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding. A Kensington Palace spokesman confirmed that no political leaders, including Trump, were invited. In an interview with Piers Morgan, Trump responded "not that I know of" when asked if he had received an invitation.

Trump has a complicated history with the royal family, having made lewd comments about Princess Diana. In a 1997 radio interview with Howard Stern, just months after Princess Diana's death, Trump insisted that he "could have" had sex with the late royal but only if she passed an HIV test first. In the interview, Stern asked Trump, "Why do people think it's egotistical of you to say you could've gotten with Lady Di? You could've gotten her, right? You could've nailed her?" Trump replied, "I think I could have."

Trump also said that he would have slept with Diana "without even hesitation." He went on to praise her, calling her a "magnificent" woman with "great beauty." He even revealed that he had seen her "a couple of times" in person. "She was really beautiful, and people didn't realize that beauty. She was supermodel beautiful. She had the height, she had the beauty, she had the skin, the whole thing," he said.

In an earlier recording from 1997, Trump suggested he would have had sex with Princess Diana, but only if she first took an HIV test. "Go back over to my Lexus because I have a new doctor, we wanna give you a little checkup," he said, acting out an imaginary scenario.

Meghan Markle's support for Hillary Clinton

Meghan Markle has been an outspoken supporter of Hillary Clinton, Trump's Democratic opponent in the 2016 election. Markle has publicly criticised Trump, calling him "divisive" and "misogynistic" during a May 2016 interview on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore. In the same interview, she also expressed her dismay at the prospect of a Trump presidency, stating that it was a "game-changer" that might cause her to stay in Canada.

Markle's admiration for Clinton goes back to her childhood. At just 11 years old, she wrote a letter to Clinton to seek help regarding a sexist television advertisement. Clinton responded, and with her encouragement, Markle was able to get the commercial changed.

In 2019, the two women finally met when Clinton visited Markle at her U.K. residence, Frogmore Cottage. They discussed a range of topics, including a letter Markle had written to Clinton as a child, and they shared a sweet moment as Clinton got to hold and snuggle with Markle's son, Archie.

Markle's support for Clinton extended to her presidential campaign, with the Duchess of Sussex posting in favour of the Democratic candidate on Instagram. Additionally, in 2019, Markle and Prince Harry hired Clinton's former campaign advisor, Sara Latham, to head their communications team.

The wedding's guest list

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was not an official state occasion and was instead regarded as a private ceremony. As such, the couple was not required to invite political leaders. A Kensington Palace spokesman confirmed that no political leaders, including Trump, were invited. They said:

> "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 decision to exclude political leaders was likely influenced by diplomatic concerns, as inviting the Obamas but not Trump could have caused problems for the British government in terms of foreign diplomacy. Additionally, Harry may have only wanted to invite people he knew personally, and he had never met Trump in person.

The guest list for the wedding included close friends and family of the couple, as well as some world leaders who had personal relationships with Harry and Meghan. Around 600 guests were invited to the wedding ceremony, which took place in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Some notable guests who were invited included:

• Barack and Michelle Obama: Harry had become close to the Obamas through their support for the Invictus Games, an event for injured servicemen and women that Harry started in 2014.
• The cast of Suits: Markle's entire cast of colleagues from the TV show "Suits" were expected to be invited, given the close relationship between Markle and her colleagues.
• Elton John and David Beckham: These celebrities were among the famous faces who were invited to the wedding, showcasing the long-standing association between Hollywood and the royals.
• Foreign royals: Other foreign royals who attended included the Queen of Denmark, the Crown Princess of Sweden, and the Queen of Spain.

The couple also invited 1,200 members of the public to Windsor Castle to celebrate their marriage, demonstrating their desire to include people from all walks of life in their special day.

Trump's lack of a personal relationship with Harry

Donald Trump's lack of a personal relationship with Prince Harry was a key factor in the decision not to invite him to the royal wedding. Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding was not an official state occasion, and as such, the couple was not obliged to invite political leaders.

Trump had never met Harry in person and had not made a presidential trip to the UK at the time of the wedding. Royal biographer Duncan Larcombe suggested that Harry was only inviting people he knew and that Trump's absence could be attributed to their lack of a personal relationship.

Trump's complicated history with the royal family may have also played a role in the decision. He had made lewd comments about Harry's late mother, Princess Diana, and had a public dispute with Harry and Meghan over their criticism of the royal family. Trump had also criticised Harry for his decision to step back from royal duties and move to the US.

The wedding's status as a private ceremony

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was not an official state occasion and was instead regarded as a private ceremony. This meant that there was no expectation that the couple would invite political leaders. Kensington Palace confirmed this, stating that "an official list of political leaders – both UK and international – is not required". This was a joint decision made by the royal household and the government.

This decision allowed the couple to keep their wedding low-key and intimate. Harry is fifth in line to the throne, and it is unlikely that he will ever become king, so he and Meghan were permitted a much smaller wedding than his brother William's. Their wedding was held in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, which has a capacity of 800, in contrast to the 1,900 guests at William and Kate's wedding in Westminster Abbey.

The guest list for Harry and Meghan's wedding was limited to close friends and family. Some world leaders may have been invited based on their personal relationships with the couple, but not in their official capacity. The couple also invited 1,200 members of the public to Windsor Castle to celebrate their marriage.

The decision to not invite political leaders may have been influenced by the potential diplomatic issues that could arise. There was speculation in the media that the couple would invite their close friends, Barack and Michelle Obama, but not Donald Trump. This could have caused problems for the British government in terms of foreign diplomacy and the special relationship between the US and the UK.

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