Who Got Invited To The Royal Wedding And Why?

The wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry was attended by some of the world's most famous faces. While it was expected that Meghan's Suits co-stars would be invited, the arrival of celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, George and Amal Clooney, Serena Williams, and David and Victoria Beckham left royal watchers scratching their heads.

Personal connections

Some celebrities scored invites to the royal wedding thanks to their personal connections with the royal family. For example, George Clooney was invited because his wife, Amal Clooney, is friends with Meghan Markle. The couple even had prime seating in the Quire of St George's Chapel, which is the section closest to the royal couple. James Corden, who has spent many "boozy" nights out with Prince Harry, also attended the wedding.

Other celebrities with personal connections to the royal couple include Serena Williams, who has been friends with Meghan since they met at a charity football game in 2014, and David Beckham, who has worked with Prince Harry on several charity campaigns.

Additionally, some celebrities were invited due to their involvement with the royal family's charities. For instance, Tom Hardy and Idris Elba are ambassadors for The Prince's Trust, and Joss Stone is an ambassador for Harry's Sentebale charity.

Charity work

Some celebrities who attended Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding were involved with the royal family's charities. Actor Idris Elba, for instance, has a strong connection to the royal family's charities. He is an ambassador for The Prince's Trust and was a one-time recipient of the organisation's support. Actor Tom Hardy, who has been friends with Harry for years, is also an ambassador for Prince Charles' main charity, The Prince's Trust.

Singer Joss Stone, a friend of Harry's since 2005, is an ambassador for Harry's Sentebale charity, which helps AIDS-affected orphans in Lesotho.

Carey Mulligan and her husband Marcus Mumford were surprise additions to the guest list. Mulligan and Mumford are big charity supporters, working with War Child Charity and the One Campaign.

Mutual friends

Some celebrities were invited to the royal wedding due to their connections with other guests or the royal couple's wider circle of acquaintances. For instance, George Clooney was invited because his wife, Amal, is friends with Meghan Markle. Similarly, David and Victoria Beckham were on the guest list, as David has worked with Prince Harry on several charity campaigns.

James Corden, who has been friends with Prince Harry for years, was also in attendance. Harry is also friends with Tom Hardy, who attended with his wife, Charlotte Riley.

Serena Williams secured a coveted spot in the Quire behind Meghan, as the two have been close confidantes since they met at a charity football game in 2014.

Harry also invited singer James Blunt, a longtime friend with shared interests in the army and veteran affairs.

Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford were surprise additions to the guest list. Harry hit it off with Mumford after a Mumford and Sons concert in 2013.

Plus-ones

Some celebrities were invited to the royal wedding as plus-ones of their partners, who were friends with either Meghan or Harry. George Clooney, for example, attended as his wife Amal's plus-one. The couple were given prime seating in the Quire of St George's Chapel, as Amal is friends with Meghan. Similarly, David Beckham's invite was likely due to his wife, Victoria, having attended Kate and William's wedding in 2011.

Other celebrity plus-ones were friends of the couple. James Corden, for instance, has been friends with Harry for years, and is rumoured to have acted as MC at the evening reception.

Surprise appearances

Some celebrities have made surprise appearances at weddings, without even being invited! Here are some of the most notable instances:

• Katy Perry joined a couple's wedding reception in St. Louis, Missouri, while she was travelling with her Witness tour.
• Kristen Stewart and her girlfriend Stella Maxwell surprised a couple by joining in on their wedding festivities in their backyard in River Heights, Winnipeg, Canada.
• The Wedding Crashers actor himself surprised a couple during their wedding while visiting his alma mater, Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C.
• Serena Williams crashed a beachside wedding in Miami in 2014, donning a leopard-print swimsuit.
• Ed Sheeran surprised an Australian couple by performing for their first dance after the bride's mother passed away.
• Amy Schumer and Judd Apatow joined a newlywed couple at a bar in Dublin, as Schumer was in town promoting Trainwreck.
• Lady Gaga crashed a wedding in Adelaide, Australia, in 2010, when she was staying at the same hotel as the couple.
• Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Danny DeVito crashed a wedding reception at their Mexican resort while on a press trip for Jumanji: The Next Level.
• Jennifer Hudson crashed a same-sex wedding in Houston, Texas, surprising the couple and performing 'I Still Love You' on stage.

In addition to these surprise appearances, some celebrities have also been invited to royal weddings, leaving many people wondering how they scored those coveted invites. For example, at Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's wedding, celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, George and Amal Clooney, David and Victoria Beckham, and Serena Williams were in attendance. While some of these celebrities had personal connections to the couple, such as Meghan's Hollywood connections or Harry's friendships, others had less obvious relationships with the pair, leaving royal watchers scratching their heads.

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