Trump's Royal Wedding Invite: Should It Happen?

In 2018, it was revealed that Donald Trump would not be invited to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding. This was due to a number of reasons, including Markle's support for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election and her previous public criticism of Trump, calling him divisive and misogynistic. Additionally, Trump had made lewd comments about Princess Diana, suggesting that he could have had sex with her. The decision to not invite Trump, along with other political leaders, was made by the royal household and was likely influenced by diplomatic concerns.

Trump's comments about Princess Diana

Donald Trump's comments about Princess Diana are likely a key reason why he did not receive an invitation to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding. In 1997, just months after Princess Diana's death, Trump appeared on The Howard Stern Show and insisted that he could have had sex with the late princess. However, he qualified this by saying that he would have done so only if she had passed an HIV test first. In a bizarre and lewd imaginary scenario, Trump said he would have told Princess Diana: "Go back over to my Lexus because I have a new doctor, we wanna give you a little checkup."

Trump's preoccupation with sexually transmitted diseases has been well documented. In another interview with Stern from 1997, he claimed he was a "brave soldier" for avoiding STDs during his single years in the late '90s. He also referred to women's vaginas as "potential landmines," indicating his fear of contracting an STD.

In a 2000 interview with Stern, Trump again expressed his sexual interest in Princess Diana, stating that he would have slept with her "without even hesitation." He went on to praise her beauty, saying she was "supermodel beautiful" and had "the height, [...] the beauty, [...] the skin, the whole thing."

In response to the allegations, Trump denied having any romantic interest in Princess Diana. In a 2016 interview with Piers Morgan, he called the rumours "totally false" and said he only met her once while standing in line and shaking hands. While Trump did express his respect for the princess, he insisted that there was "no interest from that standpoint."

Trump's relationship with Harry and his family

Trump had also made lewd comments about Harry's late mother, Princess Diana. In a 2000 interview with Howard Stern, Trump said he "would have slept with her" and that he didn't hesitate to answer. He also suggested he would have made Princess Diana take an HIV test before sleeping with her. These comments were likely to have caused upset within the royal family.

Trump had also made comments about Harry's sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge, which may not have been well-received by Harry and his family. In 2011, Trump tweeted that the Duchess had "only herself to blame" after pictures of her sunbathing topless were published in a French tabloid.

Given these factors, it is not surprising that Trump did not receive an invitation to the royal wedding. A Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed that no political leaders, including Trump, were invited. This was likely due to diplomatic concerns and the potential for causing offence.

Harry and Meghan's wedding is not an official state occasion

Harry and Meghan's wedding was not an official state occasion. Kensington Palace confirmed that no political leaders, including Donald Trump, were invited to the wedding. This was a deliberate decision, with a spokesperson for the palace stating:

> "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."

This decision 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 and Meghan may have only wanted to invite people they knew, and Trump did not have a personal relationship with Harry.

The wedding was a private affair, with approximately 600 guests who had a "direct relationship" with the couple. The royal family paid for the wedding, which cost an estimated £32 million. The day included two receptions, one hosted by the Queen and the other by Prince Charles.

Meghan Markle's criticism of Trump

In 2016, Meghan Markle, then an actress on Suits, criticised Donald Trump during an appearance on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore. Markle, who is a known supporter of Hillary Clinton, called Trump "divisive", specifically referencing his misogynistic comments and his poor performance with female voters. She said:

> "Yes, of course, Trump is divisive. Think about just female voters alone, right? I think it was in 2012 the Republican Party lost the female vote by 12 points. That's a huge number and, with as misogynistic as Trump is, and so vocal about it, that's a huge chunk of it. You're not just voting for a woman if it's Hillary, just because it's a woman, but certainly, because it has made it easy to see you don't really want that kind of world."

Markle also stated that she would move to Canada if Trump were elected, which she ultimately did, albeit not for that reason. In response to this, Trump said, "I didn't know that. No, I didn't know that she was nasty." He also said that he hoped she would do "very good" and "very well" in her new role as an American princess.

Trump's comments about Markle being "nasty" caused a stir, with some interpreting it as a direct insult to Markle, while others suggested he was referring to her past comments about him. This is not the first time Trump has used the word "nasty" to describe women, having previously used it against Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, and San Juan, Puerto Rico Mayor, Carmen Yulín Cruz.

In addition to her criticism of Trump, Markle has also urged Americans to vote, backed the Black Lives Matter movement, and spoken out about the "change we all need and deserve". These actions have sparked debate in Britain about whether she has breached royal family convention, which is designed to ensure they are perceived as politically neutral.

The potential for causing diplomatic issues

The decision not to invite Trump to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was likely influenced by the potential for causing diplomatic issues. This decision was made by the royal household, in consultation with the UK government, to avoid any potential political complications.

Firstly, inviting Trump and not the Obamas could have caused issues with the US government, given Trump's notoriously bombastic personality. The Obamas were close to Harry, and there were rumours that they would be invited, which may have influenced the decision to exclude all political leaders. This avoided any potential snubs and maintained neutrality.

Secondly, Trump's presence could have overshadowed the wedding. His attendance, or lack thereof, would have been newsworthy, and any perceived snub could have led to a Twitter war, which Harry would have wanted to avoid.

Thirdly, Trump's personal comments about female members of the royal family, including Princess Diana and the Duchess of Cambridge, may have been a factor. These comments may not have been well-received by the royal family, and Harry may not have wanted Trump at his wedding for this reason.

Finally, Meghan Markle's own comments about Trump, calling him “divisive” and “misogynistic”, and her support for his opponent, Hillary Clinton, in the 2016 election, may have made his invitation diplomatically challenging.

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