Royal Wedding Guest List: World Leaders Unite

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married in 2018, they decided not to invite an official list of political leaders to their wedding. This meant that world leaders such as Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Theresa May were not in attendance. The couple's decision was influenced by the limited space inside St George's Chapel and the fact that Prince Harry is not the direct heir to the throne. Instead, the guest list included a broad range of people from different backgrounds and ages, including young leaders, those who have served their communities, and members of the public.

Political leaders not invited to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a star-studded affair, with a host of celebrities and political leaders in attendance. However, there were some notable political figures who were not invited to the royal wedding. Here are some of the most prominent leaders who were not on the guest list:

• Barack Obama: The former President of the United States was not invited to the wedding. This was a departure from the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, which had a larger number of international leaders and political figures in attendance.
• Theresa May: The British Prime Minister at the time of the wedding was not among the guests. This was despite offering congratulations to the couple upon their engagement.
• Donald Trump: The then-President of the United States was also not invited to the wedding. However, he and First Lady Melania Trump honoured the couple's wishes by donating to one of the seven charities chosen by Harry and Meghan instead of sending a gift.
• Emmanuel Macron: The French President, who was not invited, gave a "007-themed" gift to the couple, including a bespoke pen and a heritage lighter.

The decision not to invite these and other world leaders was influenced by the limitations of the venue and Prince Harry's position as sixth in line to the throne. The only politician invited was former Prime Minister Sir John Major, who had served as a special guardian to Princes William and Harry after the death of their mother, Princess Diana.

World leaders who sent gifts to the couple

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding ceremony at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018, was a grand affair with 600 guests in attendance. Notably, the couple decided against inviting official political leaders, including UK Prime Minister Theresa May and US President Donald Trump. Instead, they opted for a guest list comprising close friends and associates, with a focus on those who shared their interests and passions.

While some world leaders were not in attendance, a few notable figures sent thoughtful gifts to the happy couple. Here are the details:

The Prince and Princess of Lesotho

Prince Seeiso and Princess Mabereng of Lesotho were among the few world leaders invited to the wedding. They presented the couple with custom Wonderbags, non-electric portable slow cookers invented in South Africa. This gift aligns with Meghan's activism and humanitarian work, empowering women and addressing critical fuel shortages. The gift also included an open invitation for the couple to visit Lesotho and see the Wonderbags in action within local communities.

French President Emmanuel Macron

Although not invited to the wedding, French President Emmanuel Macron selected a 007-themed gift for the royal couple. He chose a bespoke pen and a heritage lighter from the luxury fashion brand S.T. Dupont, known for catering to the world's greatest names. This gift draws on the tradition of French presidents presenting bespoke travel cases to British royalty on their wedding days.

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump

Despite not being invited, President Trump and First Lady Melania honoured the couple's wishes by making a donation to one of the seven charities chosen by Harry and Meghan.

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a charitable donation of NZD 5,000 to Pillars, a charity supporting children of prisoners. This donation acknowledges the couple's interest in initiatives for vulnerable children and aligns with their desire to support charitable causes.

Australian Prime Minister Turnbull

The Australian Prime Minister promised two gifts for the royal couple. The first was a charitable donation of an unspecified amount, and the second, a mystery gift described as "very Australian and appealing to their interests," was to be revealed on the wedding day.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Shortly after the wedding ceremony, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a donation of $50,000 to Jumpstart, a charity dedicated to making sports more accessible to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Trudeau wished the couple a lifetime of happiness and expressed eagerness to welcome them on a future visit to Canada.

Members of foreign royal families at Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding

The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton (now known as the Prince and Princess of Wales) took place on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey, London. The couple had met while studying at the University of St Andrews in Scotland.

Among the 1,900 guests at the wedding were members of foreign royal families, including:

• The Prince and Princess of Asturias
• The Crown Prince of Bahrain
• Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde of Belgium
• The Sultan of Brunei and Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha
• King Simeon II and Queen Margarita of Bulgaria
• The Queen of Denmark
• King Constantine and Queen Anne-Marie of the Hellenes
• Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece, and Prince Constantine of Greece
• Sheikh Ahmad Hmoud Al-Sabah of Kuwait
• Prince Seeiso Bereng Seeiso and Princess Mabereng Seeiso of Lesotho
• The Grand Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg
• The Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong of Malaysia
• Prince Albert II of Monaco and Miss Charlene Wittstock
• Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco
• The Crown Prince and Princess of the Netherlands
• The King and Queen of Norway
• Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said of Oman
• The Emir of the State of Qatar and Sheika Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned
• King Michael I of Romania and Crown Princess Margarita
• Prince Mohamed bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia and Princess Fadwa bint Khalid bin Abdullah bin Abdulrahman
• The Queen of Spain
• The King of Swaziland
• The Crown Princess of Sweden and the Duke of Västergötland
• Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand
• The King of Tonga
• The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
• Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine of Yugoslavia
• Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia

Dignitaries at Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding

On 29 April 2011, Prince William and Kate Middleton wed at Westminster Abbey, surrounded by 1,900 guests. The guest list included a wide cross-section of their friends and associates, from members of the British Royal Family and foreign royal families, to dignitaries, members of the government, and representatives from the Church and other faiths.

Dignitaries

The dignitaries in attendance at the wedding included:

• The Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda
• The Governor-General of Australia and His Excellency, Mr Michael Bryce
• The Governor-General of The Bahamas and Lady Foulkes
• The Governor-General of Barbados
• The Governor-General of Belize and Lady Young
• The Governor-General of Canada and Mrs David Johnston
• The Most Hon. The Governor-General of Jamaica
• The Governor-General of New Zealand and Lady Satyanand
• The Governor-General of Papua New Guinea and Mrs Michael Ogio
• The Governor-General of the Solomon Islands and Lady Kabui
• The Governor-General of St Christopher and Nevis
• The Governor-General of St Lucia
• The Governor-General of St Vincent and the Grenadines and Lady Ballantyne

Members of the Government

The members of the government in attendance included:

• The Prime Minister and Mrs David Cameron
• The Deputy Prime Minister and Ms Miriam Gonzalez Duantez
• First Secretary of State, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, and Mrs William Hague
• The Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Hon. Mrs Osborne
• The Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor and Mrs Kenneth Clarke
• The Secretary of State for the Home Department and Minister for Women and Equalities, and Mr Philip May
• The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport and Mrs Jeremy Hunt
• The Rt. Hon Ed Miliband and Ms Justine Thornton
• The Speaker of the House of Commons and Mrs John Bercow
• The Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales and the Lady Elis-Thomas
• The Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament and Mrs Alex Fergusson
• The Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Mrs William Hay
• The Lord Speaker and Mr Martin Hayman
• First Minister of Wales and Mrs Carwyn Jones
• First Minister of Northern Ireland and Mrs Peter Robinson
• First Minister of Scotland and Mrs Alex Salmond
• The Mayor of London and Mrs Boris Johnson
• The Rt. Hon. The Lord Mayor and The Lady Mayoress Sir Gus and Lady O’Donnell
• The Rt. Hon. The Lord Mayor of Westminster and Count Paolo Filo della Torre
• Mr and Mrs Simon Fraser

Members of the British Royal Family at Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding

The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011 was a grand affair, with 1,900 guests in attendance at Westminster Abbey. The guest list included a wide range of people from different walks of life, and of course, members of the British Royal Family.

The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Henry of Wales, The Duke of York, Princess Beatrice of York, Princess Eugenie of York, The Earl and Countess of Wessex, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Phillips, Miss Zara Phillips with Mr. Mike Tindall, Viscount Linley and Viscountess Linley, The Hon. Charles Armstrong-Jones, The Lady Sarah Chatto and Mr. Daniel Chatto, Master Samuel Chatto, Master Arthur Chatto, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, The Earl and Countess of Ulster, The Lady Davina and Mr. Gary Lewis, Lady Rose and Mr. George Gilman, The Duke and Duchess of Kent, Earl and Countess of St. Andrews, Lord Downpatrick, The Lady Marina-Charlotte Windsor, The Lady Amelia Windsor, The Lord and Lady Nicholas Windsor, The Lady Helen Taylor and Mr. Timothy Taylor, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, The Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor, The Lady Gabriella Windsor, Princess Alexandra, Mr. and Mrs. James Ogilvy, Miss Marina Ogilvy, and The Lady Saltoun were among the members of the British Royal Family who attended the wedding.

The wedding was a grand affair, with a mix of royalty, political and religious leaders, charity bosses, and prominent figures from sports and entertainment in attendance.

Frequently asked questions