President Donald Trump and his wife Melania were not invited to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The couple decided not to invite political leaders, including UK Prime Minister Theresa May and Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn. A Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed that the wedding was a private event, and that an official list of political leaders was not required. NBC News correspondent Keir Simmons reported that Harry was absolutely in charge of everything and that he had decided not to invite any politicians.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Reason for not inviting Trump | Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decided not to invite political leaders because Harry is only fifth in line to the throne, and the venue, Windsor Chapel, is not as big as Westminster Abbey, where Prince William and Kate Middleton got married |
Who made the decision | Prince Harry |
Who else wasn't invited | British Prime Minister Theresa May, Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn, and former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama |
Number of guests | 2,640 family members, friends, and public citizens |
What You'll Learn
- Harry and Meghan's wedding was a private event, not an official state occasion
- Harry didn't invite any political leaders to his wedding
- Harry has no personal relationship with Trump
- Trump has a history of making comments about the royal family that they may not have been pleased with
- Meghan has criticised Trump in the past
Harry and Meghan's wedding was a private event, not an official state occasion
Kensington Palace confirmed that no political leaders, including Trump, were invited. A spokesperson for the palace stated:
> 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.
NBC News correspondent Keir Simmons reported that Harry decided not to invite any political leaders to the wedding:
> People in Harry's circle tell me he is absolutely in charge of everything, that he decides. That, for example, is why there are no politicians, he says so, no politicians here, no President Trump here, no British prime minister here.
Harry's decision to not invite political leaders may have been influenced by diplomatic concerns. Royal biographer Duncan Larcombe suggested that if the Obamas had been invited and Trump was snubbed, it could have caused issues for the British government in terms of foreign diplomacy. Larcombe also noted that Harry may have only wanted to invite people he knew, as Trump did not have a personal relationship with the royal family.
The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, which was an official state occasion, did include political leaders and heads of state on the guest list.
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Harry didn't invite any political leaders to his wedding
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding was a highly anticipated event, with much speculation about the guest list. Notably, Harry decided not to invite any political leaders to his wedding, including US President Donald Trump. A Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed that no political leaders were invited, stating that an "official list of political leaders—both UK and international— [was] not required."
NBC News correspondent Keir Simmons reported that people in Harry's circle claimed that Harry was "absolutely in charge of everything" and had decided not to invite any politicians. This decision included not only President Trump but also the British Prime Minister at the time, Theresa May. When asked about the invitation snub, President Trump responded, "Not that I know of. I want them to be happy. They look like a lovely couple."
The decision to exclude political leaders from the wedding may have been influenced by diplomatic concerns and the desire to avoid causing problems for the British government in terms of foreign diplomacy, particularly in relation to the special relationship between the US and the UK. Another factor could have been Harry's personal relationships (or lack thereof) with these leaders. Harry had a connection with former US President Barack Obama through the Invictus Games, but he had never met President Trump in person.
While the absence of political leaders at royal weddings is not unprecedented, the decision to exclude them from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding generated significant media attention, particularly regarding the non-invitation of President Trump.
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Harry has no personal relationship with Trump
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not invite President Donald Trump to their wedding because they chose not to have any political leaders, either British or international, on the guest list. This included British Prime Minister Theresa May and Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn. NBC News correspondent Keir Simmons reported that Harry decided not to invite any politicians, and that he was "absolutely in charge of everything".
Harry and Meghan's wedding was classified as a private event, unlike Prince William and Duchess Kate's 2011 ceremony at Westminster Abbey, which was an official state occasion. The size of the venue, Windsor Chapel, was also a factor in the decision not to invite political leaders.
Aside from the diplomatic concerns, royal biographer Duncan Larcombe suggested that Harry may not have invited Trump because he simply did not have a personal relationship with him. Larcombe noted that Harry could argue "he's only inviting people he knows". This was in contrast to Barack Obama, who Harry had a relationship with through the Invictus Games. Obama had also sent the couple a congratulatory tweet when they announced their engagement.
Trump had not met Harry in person and had not made a presidential trip to the UK at the time of the wedding. He also had a complicated history with the royal family, having made comments about Princess Diana and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, that may have displeased the Queen's family.
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Trump has a history of making comments about the royal family that they may not have been pleased with
President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, were not invited to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The couple decided not to invite political leaders to their wedding, instead opting for family members, friends, and members of the public.
Trump's complicated history with the royal family includes comments about Princess Diana and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge. The Queen, in particular, was reportedly displeased with Trump's remarks.
In addition, Markle, an American-born actress and former United Nations Women advocate, was critical of Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign. She stated that if Trump became president, she would consider staying in Canada, calling it a "game changer in terms of how we move in the world."
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Meghan has criticised Trump in the past
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not invite President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to their wedding. The couple decided not to invite any political leaders, opting for 2,640 family members, friends, and members of the public instead.
Meghan Markle, an American-born actress and former United Nations Women advocate, has criticised Trump in the past. During his 2016 presidential campaign against Hillary Clinton, Markle spoke out about the election on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, stating:
> It's really the moment that I go, we film Suits in Toronto and I might just stay in Canada. I mean come on, if that's reality we are talking about, come on, that is a game-changer in terms of how we move in the world here.
Markle also criticised Trump's "divisive" and "misogynistic" rhetoric during his presidential campaign.
In an interview with Piers Morgan on ITV, President Trump responded "not that I know of" when asked if he had received an invitation. Trump also said that Harry and Markle were a "lovely couple" and wished them the best, even after hearing that Markle had criticised him. "I want them to be happy, I really want them to be happy," he said.
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Frequently asked questions
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decided not to invite political leaders to their wedding, instead opting for family members, friends, and members of the public.
When asked if he had received an invitation, Trump responded, "not that I know of." He also said that Harry and Markle were a "lovely couple" and wished them the best.
Trump did not publicly respond to the snub. However, it was reported that he might take offense. Royal biographer Duncan Larcombe didn't think Trump would start a Twitter war with Harry over the wedding, but he did say that Trump might take solace in the fact that it is not customary for royals to invite foreign political leaders to their weddings.