Royal Wedding Guest List: Trudeau's Attendance Confirmed

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was not invited to the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The Prime Minister's Office confirmed that Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, would not be attending the nuptials, despite speculation that they would receive an invitation due to the Trudeau family's history with the Royal Family and the bride's connection to Canada. The decision to exclude foreign dignitaries from the guest list was made after royal officials consulted with the British government to review protocol and precedent.

Justin Trudeau's response to not being invited

Justin Trudeau responded to his lack of invitation to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding with a mix of disappointment and understanding. In an email to the couple, he wrote:

> "I can't help but feel just a little bit hurt. I thought we were tight!"

He also joked about the potential seating arrangements, saying:

> "Think about what a fun wedding table ours and the Obamas' would've been! Think of the dance moves, the one-armed push-up competitions, the progress we could've made on global feminist policy over hors d'oeuvres!"

Trudeau also acknowledged that the decision to exclude foreign dignitaries was a difficult but important one, and that he respected it. He added that he and his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, would not be attending the wedding but wished the couple all the best.

In a more lighthearted response, Trudeau quipped that he was not too disappointed as he had "important" work to do.

The guest list for the royal wedding

Trudeau's absence from the royal wedding was confirmed by his office, which extended congratulations and well wishes to the soon-to-be-wed couple. The Prime Minister himself commented that he was not too disappointed, as he had "important" work to tend to.

The decision to exclude foreign dignitaries was a marked departure from the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, which included officials and dignitaries from around the world. This gave Prince Harry and Meghan Markle greater flexibility in curating their guest list, allowing them to focus on their closest relationships.

While the absence of political figures like Trudeau and Trump drew attention, the couple also invited over 2,500 members of the public to the grounds of Windsor Castle to witness their wedding day, ensuring a diverse and inclusive celebration.

Meghan Markle's connection to Canada

Meghan Markle has deep connections to Canada. She is closely linked to Toronto, where she shot her television show Suits and resided for many years. She and Harry spent time there together before their romance went public.

Markle considers Toronto her adopted home, having lived in the city for seven years. She fondly recalls the relative anonymity that allowed her to explore the city and live a normal life. She could walk her dogs in Trinity Bellwoods Park, a "mecca for meeting up with friends", without attracting attention. She also enjoyed the city's yoga studios, restaurants, shopping haunts, and sports teams. Markle has promoted Canadian designers such as Line the Label, Mackage, Birks, and Sentaler.

Markle and Harry chose Canada's biggest city, Toronto, to hold hands publicly for the first time, making their relationship status official. They also spent the last six weeks of 2019 in Canada, staying on Vancouver Island. They made their first official appearance of 2020 with a public trip to Canada House to thank Canadians for the "hospitality and support" they received during their extended stay.

The couple's decision to step back from their royal duties and split their time between the UK and North America was conspicuously timed with rumours that they were planning to make Canada their place of residence.

The Trudeaus' history with the Royal Family

The Trudeau family has a long history with the Royal Family, dating back to the 16th century. The family's surname can be traced to Marcillac-Lanville in France, and their lineage in North America was established by Étienne Truteau, who arrived in Canada in 1659.

Former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, the father of current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, had a complex relationship with the Royal Family. On the one hand, he was known for his progressive values and close ties with socialist and labour unions. On the other hand, he was a devout Catholic who attended Mass throughout his life and was buried in the Trudeau family crypt in Quebec.

Pierre Trudeau's relationship with the Royal Family was marked by both cooperation and conflict. He was a strong advocate for federalism and bilingualism in Canada, which sometimes put him at odds with the monarchy. However, he also worked to foster a pan-Canadian identity and improve relations between the two countries. For example, he established the Official Languages Act, making French and English the co-equal official languages of the federal government. He also negotiated the patriation of the Constitution, which included the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, achieving full Canadian sovereignty.

Pierre Trudeau's relationship with the Royal Family was also influenced by his personal life. He was married to Margaret Trudeau, with whom he had three sons, including Justin Trudeau. However, the couple divorced in 1984, and Pierre Trudeau retired from politics soon after.

Justin Trudeau, the current Canadian Prime Minister, has had a somewhat distant relationship with the Royal Family. He did not attend the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, despite speculation that he would be invited due to his family's history with the royals. In an unsent email to the couple, Trudeau jokingly expressed his disappointment at not being invited, writing, "I can't help but feel just a little bit hurt. I thought we were tight!" However, he also respected their decision and wished them well.

Overall, the Trudeau family has had a complex and evolving relationship with the Royal Family, marked by both cooperation and conflict, personal connections, and political differences.

The bride and groom's friends and family

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was always going to be a high-profile affair. However, the couple decided to keep the guest list limited to friends and family, with Kensington Palace stating that "an official list of political leaders, both UK and international, [was] not required". This meant that many politicians and world leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, were not in attendance.

The decision to keep the wedding a more personal affair, rather than a state affair, was influenced by the fact that Prince Harry is unlikely to ascend the throne due to the rules of succession. This gave him and Markle, an American actress, more freedom to choose their guests.

The guest list included British schoolchildren, soldiers, charity founders, and individuals with personal connections to the couple, such as Meghan Markle's close Canadian confidante, Jessica Mulroney.

While Prime Minister Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, were not among the 600 invited guests, they extended their best wishes to the couple, with Trudeau himself stating that he was not too disappointed and had "important" work to do.

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