Obama Absence: Markle's Wedding Snub Explained?

Despite their close friendship with Prince Harry, Barack and Michelle Obama were not invited to the royal wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The couple's connection to the White House prevented them from landing a spot on the guest list. A Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed that no official UK or overseas guests would be in attendance, including UK Prime Minister Theresa May, US President Donald Trump, and the Obamas. This decision was made to avoid causing diplomatic issues.

The wedding was politics-free

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a politics-free affair. A Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed that no official list of political leaders, both UK and international, was required for the wedding. This included the then-President Donald Trump, Barack Obama, and British Prime Minister Theresa May. The decision was taken by the Royal Household, in consultation with the British government.

The decision to exclude political leaders from the wedding was likely due to diplomatic reasons and the British royal family's historical political neutrality. Royal biographer Duncan Larcombe suggested that the British government may have advised Harry and Meghan to exclude the Obamas to avoid offending President Trump, who was also not invited. Larcombe also noted that the British royal family has historically remained politically neutral, and the wedding guest list was carefully orchestrated to ensure there were no political overtones.

The size of the wedding venue, St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, was also a factor. With a maximum capacity of 900 guests, the couple had to be selective with their invitations.

Despite the Obamas' close friendship with Prince Harry, their connection to the White House prevented them from attending the wedding. However, sources indicated that Harry and Meghan were looking forward to seeing the Obamas soon, suggesting that the decision was not due to any ill will.

The exclusion of political leaders from the wedding guest list was not unprecedented. At the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011, no heads of state were invited. President Obama was not invited due to the added security costs his presence would have incurred. Instead, the United States was represented by its ambassador to the United Kingdom.

Harry isn't a future king

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding caused a stir as many wondered whether political leaders would be in attendance. It was later confirmed by Kensington Palace that no official UK or overseas guests would be invited to the wedding. This included the Obamas, Trumps, and British Prime Minister Theresa May.

Prince Harry is not a direct heir to the throne, and as such, the couple was not required to invite official guests such as heads of state. This was not the case for Prince William's wedding to Kate Middleton in 2011, where heads of state were invited as William is a future king.

Harry and Meghan's wedding was instead a more intimate affair, with only 600 guests in attendance at St. George's Chapel, compared to the 1,900 invites sent out for William and Kate's wedding.

The decision to exclude political leaders was made for diplomatic reasons, as the British royal family has historically remained politically neutral. The Foreign Office, responsible for protecting and promoting British interests worldwide, typically advises inviting foreign royals, dignitaries, and diplomats to royal weddings. However, in this case, the couple chose to follow the advice of the Foreign Office and exclude political leaders, instead inviting only those who knew the couple personally.

This decision caused some speculation, especially as Prince Harry had a close friendship with former US President Barack Obama. The pair had been photographed together at the 2017 Invictus Games, and Harry had attended the first Obama Foundation Summit. Obama had also sent the couple a congratulatory tweet upon their engagement, and Harry had interviewed Obama for the BBC. Despite this friendship, it was always unlikely that the Obamas would be invited, and sources stated that Harry and Meghan were looking forward to seeing them soon.

Obama's attendance would increase security costs

The Obamas were not invited to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, despite their close relationship with the couple, because of the increased security costs their attendance would have incurred.

The wedding took place at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, a smaller venue than Westminster Abbey, where Prince William and Kate Middleton were married in 2011. At William and Kate's wedding, heads of state were present, but most were from Commonwealth and European countries. The then-US President Barack Obama was not invited to that wedding due to the additional security costs his presence would have brought.

Similarly, the presence of former President Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama at Harry and Meghan's wedding would have required increased security measures, which may not have been feasible given the venue's size. The couple chose to invite only 600 people to their wedding, and a royal source confirmed that the wedding guests would be people who had an existing direct relationship with the groom or the bride.

The decision to exclude political leaders from the guest list was made in consultation with the British government, taking into account diplomatic considerations and the desire to maintain political neutrality.

It would be diplomatically awkward to invite the Obamas and not the Trumps

Prince Harry is not the direct heir to the throne, so he is not obligated to invite present and former heads of state. The wedding venue, St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, also has a maximum capacity of 900 guests, which is less than half the number of people invited to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding at Westminster Abbey, where heads of state were present.

At William and Kate's wedding in 2011, no world leaders were invited from outside the Commonwealth and European countries. President Obama was not invited due to the added security costs his presence would have brought. The royal family has historically remained politically neutral. It is extremely unlikely that any political leaders would be invited to Harry and Meghan's wedding.

A Kensington Palace source confirmed that the wedding guests would be people who have an existing direct relationship with the couple.

The venue was smaller than Westminster Abbey

The venue for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding was significantly smaller than Westminster Abbey, where his older brother, Prince William, married Kate Middleton in 2011. St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, where Harry and Meghan were married, has a maximum capacity of 900 guests, less than half the number of invites sent out for William and Kate's wedding.

The smaller venue meant that Harry and Meghan had to be selective with their guest list. They chose to invite only 600 people to the wedding, excluding political leaders from the UK and overseas. This included former US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, as well as President 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 the decision was made in consultation with the British government. They added that the wedding guests would be people with an existing direct relationship with the couple.

The decision to exclude political leaders was also influenced by diplomatic reasons. Inviting the Obamas but not the Trumps could have created diplomatic tensions between the UK and the US. By not inviting any political leaders, Harry and Meghan avoided these potential issues and maintained a politically neutral stance.

The smaller venue and selective guest list allowed Harry and Meghan to have a more intimate wedding celebration, surrounded by people they knew personally.

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