Who Gets Royal Wedding Invites And Why?

The wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in 2018 was a star-studded affair, with celebrities gracing the guest list and even performing at the reception. The royal couple's wedding was attended by the likes of George and Amal Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, Serena Williams, Victoria and David Beckham, Elton John, and Priyanka Chopra, among others. The celebrity guests had various connections to the couple, ranging from close friendships to professional relationships. The presence of celebrities at royal weddings adds a touch of glamour and often generates significant public interest and media coverage.

Celebrities with personal connections to the couple

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's wedding was a star-studded affair, with many celebrities invited due to their personal connections with the couple.

Tennis legend Serena Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, were in attendance. Williams and Markle met in 2014 at a celebrity charity football event and became close friends. Markle wrote about their friendship on her now-defunct blog, The Tig, and Williams also attended Markle's first public appearance with Harry at the Invictus Games.

Hollywood royalty, the ever-chic George and Amal Clooney, were also invited. Meghan and Amal have been close friends for years, with their relationship strengthened by their shared passion for human rights and philanthropic goals.

Priyanka Chopra, who stars in Quantico, was another celebrity guest at the wedding. Chopra and Markle met at ELLE's Women in Television dinner in 2016 and became close friends.

Abigail Spencer, Markle's co-star on Suits, was also in attendance. Spencer and Markle developed a close bond, with Spencer making supportive statements about the Duchess in the past.

Other celebrities with personal connections to the couple included Oprah Winfrey, Idris Elba, David and Victoria Beckham, James Corden, and Julia Carey.

Celebrities with connections to the royal family

Many celebrities have connections to the royal family, and some have even been invited to royal weddings. Here are some celebrities with notable connections to royalty:

• Henry Golding revealed that he used to work as a hairdresser and cut the hair of James Middleton, the brother of Princess Kate.
• David Duchovny had an awkward encounter with King Charles III at a concert in the '90s when he had to explain the term "booty call" to the perplexed royal.
• Cate Blanchett had a lunch invitation from Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip that left her puzzled as to why she had been invited. It turned out that the late Duke of Edinburgh wanted her help with his DVD player.
• Ralph Fiennes is a distant cousin of Prince Charles, as the two are eighth cousins related through James II of Scotland, who ruled during the 1400s.
• Tilda Swinton is a direct descendant of Scottish royalty. She is a relative of King Robert the Bruce, who lived from 1274 to 1329, and is 19 generations removed from him.
• Thandiwe Newton is a Zimbabwean princess, as her mother is a Zimbabwean princess, which also gives her princess status according to Shona custom.
• Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are both distant cousins of Queen Elizabeth. Jolie is the Queen's 26th cousin, while Pitt is the Queen's 25th cousin, twice removed.
• Hilary Duff is an 18th cousin of Queen Elizabeth, as she is related to Alexander Spotswood, a British Army officer and descendant of Edward III.
• Madonna and Guy Ritchie both have royal connections. Madonna is a 9th cousin, once removed, of Duchess Camilla Parker Bowles, while Ritchie is a descendant of King Edward I.
• Beyoncé is also related to Queen Elizabeth, as they are 25th cousins, once removed. Beyoncé traces her royal roots through Louisiana, Acadia, and back to the French.
• Paris Hilton is a descendant of King Henry II and is a 20th cousin of the Queen.
• David Beckham has a friendly relationship with Prince William and Prince Harry. He attended the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011 and was also invited to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding.
• Oprah Winfrey is a well-known friend of the royal family and was invited to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding.

Celebrities with connections to the wedding venue

Many celebrities have connections to the wedding venue, be it through their royal ancestry or previous encounters with the family. Here are some notable examples:

• Henry Golding revealed that he used to work as a hairdresser and had cut the hair of James Middleton, the brother of Princess Kate.
• David Duchovny shared a funny anecdote about having to explain the term "booty call" to King Charles III at a concert in the '90s.
• Cate Blanchett recounted an awkward encounter where she was invited to lunch with Queen Elizabeth II and couldn't understand why. It turned out that the late Duke of Edinburgh wanted her help with a DVD player.
• Ralph Fiennes, an actor, is a distant cousin of Prince Charles, being related through James II of Scotland, who ruled during the 1400s.
• Tilda Swinton, an actress, is a direct descendant of Scottish royalty. She is a relative of King Robert the Bruce, who lived from 1274 to 1329.
• Angelina Jolie, an actress, is also related to Queen Elizabeth II. She is the Queen's 26th cousin, with the connection coming through her mother's family history, which dates back to the 12th century.
• David Beckham has a "very normal relationship" with Prince William and Harry. He has also attended royal weddings, including that of Prince William and Catherine.
• Tom Hardy and his wife, Charlotte Riley, were guests at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Hardy even had a cameo in The Last Jedi alongside Prince Harry and William as stormtroopers.
• Carey Mulligan and her husband, Marcus Mumford, were also unexpected guests at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, adding a stylish touch to the guest list.

Celebrities who are public figures

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a star-studded affair, with many celebrities and public figures in attendance. One of the most notable celebrity guests was Oprah Winfrey, who arrived at Windsor Castle alongside actor Idris Elba. Winfrey is a well-known American media mogul and actress, and her presence at the wedding certainly added a touch of glamour to the event.

Another famous face at the wedding was George Clooney and his wife, Amal Clooney. The Clooneys are Hollywood royalty, and their attendance at the wedding further highlighted the couple's close relationship with the royal family. Amal Clooney, a prominent human rights lawyer, has reportedly become close friends with Meghan Markle, particularly since Markle moved to the United Kingdom.

The guest list also included Victoria and David Beckham, who have maintained a close relationship with the royal family over the years. David Beckham, a celebrated footballer, has previously spoken about his friendship with Prince Harry and Prince William, describing their relationship as "very normal".

Other notable celebrity guests included Serena Williams, a tennis champion and close friend of Meghan Markle; Priyanka Chopra, who starred in the TV show "Quantico"; and Elton John, a close friend of the late Princess Diana.

The presence of these celebrities and public figures at the royal wedding reflects the couple's diverse range of friendships and connections. It also showcases the unique intersection between royalty and celebrity culture, as the wedding became a gathering of prominent figures from various industries and fields.

Celebrities who are friends with other guests

Many celebrities who attended the royal wedding were friends with one another. Here are some examples:

• George and Amal Clooney: Amal Clooney and Meghan Markle were close friends, and George and Amal Clooney's house was only a 30-minute drive from Windsor Castle.
• Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian: Williams and Markle became close friends after meeting in 2014, and Williams is also friends with Ohanian, her husband.
• Abigail Spencer and Priyanka Chopra: Spencer and Markle were co-stars and close friends, and Chopra was also a friend of Markle's.
• David and Victoria Beckham: David Beckham was friends with both Prince William and Prince Harry, and Victoria Beckham was invited to Prince William and Catherine's wedding in 2011.
• Sofia Wellesley and James Blunt: Prince Harry and James Blunt were friends, having served in the British Army together. Blunt is married to Sofia Wellesley, a granddaughter of the 8th Duke of Wellington.
• Patrick J. Adams and Troian Bellisario: Adams was a co-star and close friend of Markle's, and he attended the wedding with his wife, Troian Bellisario.
• Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley: Hardy had previously worked with Prince Harry and Prince William, and Riley had played the role of the Duchess of Cambridge in a film.
• Julia Carey and James Corden: Corden and his wife, Carey, were invited to the wedding.
• Chelsy Davy and Cressida Bonas: Both Davy and Bonas were Prince Harry's ex-girlfriends and were reportedly on good terms with him and each other.

Frequently asked questions