Who's Attending Prince Harry's Wedding?

what heads of state are invited to prince harrys wedding

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding was a star-studded affair, but it was notably absent of heads of state and political leaders. This was a deliberate decision, as an official list of political leaders was not required, and because Harry is not in the direct line of succession to the British throne. The guest list was reserved for those with a direct relationship with the couple, including friends and family.

Characteristics Values
Date of the wedding 19 May 2018
Location St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, United Kingdom
Bride Meghan Markle
Groom Prince Harry
Bride's occupation Actress, blogger, charity ambassador, and advocate
Groom's occupation Member of the British royal family
Bride's nationality American
Groom's nationality British
Number of guests 600
Number of people waiting on the grounds of the castle Over 2,000
Notable guests Serena Williams, Alexis Ohanian, George Clooney, Amal Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, Idris Elba, Sabrina Dhowre, James Corden, Julia Carey, Priyanka Chopra, Abigail Spencer, Tom Hardy, Charlotte Riley, Carey Mulligan, Marcus Mumford, Elton John, Victoria Beckham, David Beckham, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, etc.
Notable non-invitees Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Donald Trump, Theresa May, etc.

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The UK's Prime Minister was not invited

The UK's Prime Minister, Theresa May, was not invited to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. This was not unusual, as no political leaders from the UK or other countries were invited to the wedding. This included the Obamas and Trumps.

A Kensington Palace spokesperson explained that an official list of political leaders was not required for the wedding as Harry was not a future king like his brother, William. All guests at the wedding would know the couple personally. This was in keeping with royal tradition, as when William married Kate Middleton in 2011, heads of state were in attendance, but most were from the Commonwealth and European countries.

The decision not to invite political leaders was also influenced by the limitations of the venue. In addition, Harry's position as sixth in line to the throne meant there was less pressure to invite heads of state from the UK's allies.

The only politician invited to the wedding was former Prime Minister Sir John Major, who had served as a special guardian to Princes William and Harry on legal matters after the death of their mother, Princess Diana.

The guest list for Harry and Meghan's wedding included approximately 600 people, most of whom had a direct relationship with the couple. In addition, 200 close friends of the couple were invited to attend the evening reception at Frogmore House, and approximately 1,200 members of the public were invited to greet the couple outside the chapel.

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. The ceremony was followed by two wedding receptions: a luncheon hosted by the Queen and a second reception later in the day hosted by Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles.

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The Obamas were not invited

Barack and Michelle Obama were not invited to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Despite the former first couple's close friendship with Prince Harry, their connection to the White House prevented them from landing a spot on the guest list. This was also the case for other political leaders, including Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May.

A Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed that an official list of political leaders was not required for the wedding, and that all the guests present would know the couple personally. This was due in part to the limitations of the venue, and also took into account Prince Harry's position as sixth in line to the throne.

The Obamas were not the only notable absence at the wedding. Although it was rumoured that the Spice Girls would be in attendance and might even perform, only Victoria, Emma, and Geri were invited. It was also rumoured that Meghan Markle's onscreen love interest on Suits, Patrick J Adams, would be her escort for the wedding, but he attended with his wife, Troian Bellisario.

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a relatively small celebration with only 600 invites sent out by Prince Charles on behalf of his son and future daughter-in-law. The ceremony took place at St. George's Chapel, which only has room for 800 guests. The guest list included approximately 600 people, most of whom had a direct relationship with the couple.

The Royal Snub

The Obamas' absence at the wedding may have come as a surprise to some, given their close friendship with Prince Harry. Michelle Obama has publicly admired the prince, and the couple traded mock-taunting videos promoting Harry's Invictus Games for wounded military members. The Obamas even welcomed Harry to Chicago in October 2017 for the inaugural summit of the Obama Foundation, with Michelle referring to Harry as "my friend".

However, there was precedent for US presidents not attending royal weddings. The Obamas were also not invited to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011, reportedly due to the added security costs that their presence would have incurred.

A Private Affair

The decision not to invite political leaders to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was in keeping with the couple's desire for a private ceremony. Unlike his brother, Prince William, who is a future king, Prince Harry was not required to invite official guests such as heads of state. This allowed the couple to keep the guest list more intimate and personal.

The wedding took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor. The ceremony was noted for its inclusion of African-American culture and was widely reported as being significant for its departure from traditional royal conventions.

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The Trumps were not invited

> "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."

Since Harry isn't a future king like his brother William, "official guests" such as heads of state were not deemed necessary. All the guests at St. George's Chapel knew the couple personally.

The decision not to invite political leaders was also influenced by the limitations of the venue, and Prince Harry's position as sixth in line to the throne.

At Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in 2011, heads of state were in attendance, but most were from the Commonwealth and European countries.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding took place on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, with 600 guests in attendance. The groom is a member of the British royal family, and the bride is American.

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Foreign royals were invited if they were friends with Harry and Meghan

Foreign royals were invited to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding if they were friends with the couple. One such royal was Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, who co-founded the charity Sentebale with Harry to help AIDS-stricken orphans in Lesotho. He attended the wedding with his wife, Princess Mabereng.

Other foreign royals who attended the wedding included the King of Tonga, Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece, and Princess Alexandra of Greece, though it is unclear whether they were friends with Harry and Meghan.

In contrast to the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, which had a large number of official guests due to William's position as a future monarch, Harry and Meghan's wedding did not require an official list of political leaders or heads of state. This was due in part to the limitations of the venue, but also took into account Harry's position as sixth in line to the throne.

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Heads of state were not required

A Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed that an "official list" of political leaders was not required, and that the decision was taken by the Royal Household, in consultation with the government. This meant that political leaders in the UK and internationally were not invited, including the Obamas, Trumps, and British Prime Minister Theresa May.

The guest list for the wedding was kept relatively small, with 600 guests present in St George's Chapel, and a further 2,000 members of the public invited to greet the couple outside the chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle. The 600 guests were mostly people with a direct relationship with the couple, and 200 close friends were invited to a second, more intimate reception at Frogmore House, hosted by Prince Charles.

While no heads of state were in attendance, there were a number of notable guests at the wedding, including George and Amal Clooney, Serena Williams and her husband Alexis Ohanian, and David and Victoria Beckham.

Frequently asked questions

No, no heads of state were invited to Prince Harry's wedding.

Since Harry was not going to be king, "official guests" such as heads of state were not deemed necessary.

No politicians were invited to the wedding, apart from former Prime Minister Sir John Major.

Yes, foreign royals were invited if they were friends with the couple. This included Prince Seeiso of Lesotho.

Yes, notable guests included George and Amal Clooney, Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian, Idris Elba and Sabrina Dhowre, James Corden and Julia Carey, Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley, and Victoria and David Beckham.

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