Trump's Royal Wedding Invite: Yes Or No?

President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, were not invited to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. A Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed that no official list of political leaders would be in attendance at the wedding, neither from the UK nor internationally. NBC News correspondent Keir Simmons reported that Prince Harry decided not to invite any political leaders to his wedding.

Diplomatic reasons for Trump's non-invite

There are several diplomatic reasons why Donald Trump was not invited to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Firstly, Harry and Markle chose not to invite any political leaders, opting instead to celebrate with family, friends, and members of the public. This decision was made in consultation with the British government and was likely influenced by the limited capacity of the wedding venue, which was significantly smaller than the venue for Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in 2011.

Another diplomatic consideration was the potential for causing tension in foreign relations between the US and the UK if the Obamas were invited and the Trumps were not. Harry had a close relationship with Barack Obama, but ultimately, both former and current US presidents were excluded from the guest list. Additionally, Trump did not have a personal relationship with Harry, having never met him in person or made a presidential trip to the UK at the time.

Furthermore, Meghan Markle, an American-born actress, had been critical of Trump's "divisive" and "misogynistic" rhetoric during his 2016 presidential campaign. Markle even suggested that she might stay in Canada if Trump became president, demonstrating her discomfort with his political ascendancy. Inviting Trump to the wedding could have potentially caused tension and taken away from the celebratory nature of the event.

Finally, it is not customary for the royals to invite foreign political leaders to their nuptials. For example, there were no heads of state invited to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding. Ultimately, the decision to exclude Trump from the guest list was likely a combination of these diplomatic considerations and the personal preferences of the royal couple.

Trump's relationship with Harry and Meghan

Donald Trump has been an outspoken critic of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, since their split from the monarchy and move to the U.S. in 2020. Trump has claimed that he is “not a fan” of Meghan, and that she was “very disrespectful” to the royal family and Queen Elizabeth II. He has also said that he believes Meghan is leading Prince Harry "by the nose" and that their marriage will end when "Harry decides he's had enough of being bossed around".

Trump's criticism of the couple extends to their personal decisions, such as their move to the U.S. and Harry's decision to write his memoir, 'Spare'. In an interview with Nigel Farage, Trump expressed his surprise that Harry was invited to the coronation of King Charles III, stating that Harry had said “terrible things" about the royal family in his book. Trump also claimed that Harry would be “on his own” if it were up to him, and that he would revoke the prince's visa due to his admission of drug use in his memoir.

The former U.S. president's son, Eric Trump, has also weighed in on the matter, describing Harry and Meghan as “spoiled apples” and offering to “send them back” to Britain. He has also attempted to paint his father as a strong ally of the U.K. and a supporter of the monarchy, despite the family's criticism of the royal couple.

Despite not being invited to their wedding, Trump and his wife, Melania, honoured Harry and Meghan with a gift, donating to one of the seven charities the royal couple had suggested to guests and well-wishers.

Trump's history with the royal family

Donald Trump has had a somewhat controversial history with the British Royal Family. In 2018, he and his wife Melania were not invited to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. This was not surprising, given that Meghan Markle, an American-born actress, had previously called Trump "misogynistic" and criticised his "divisive" rhetoric during his 2016 presidential campaign.

A Kensington Palace spokesperson said, "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." This also excluded British Prime Minister Theresa May, Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn, and former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama. NBC News correspondent Keir Simmons reported that the decision not to invite any political leaders was made by Prince Harry, who was "absolutely in charge of everything."

Despite not being invited to the wedding, Trump and Melania honoured the couple with a gift. They made a donation to one of the seven charities that Harry and Meghan suggested to guests and well-wishers, benefiting causes such as women's empowerment, conservation, the environment, homelessness, and the Armed Forces.

Who was invited to the wedding

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding was a star-studded affair, with 2,640 guests in attendance. The couple chose not to invite any political leaders, including US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Theresa May, Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn, and former US President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama.

A Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed that the couple did not feel an "official list of political leaders – both UK and international – [was] required" for their wedding. Instead, they opted to invite family members, friends, and members of the public who had demonstrated a commitment to civic action in the UK.

Among the 1,200 guests invited to the wedding were people who had shown strong leadership and dedication to community service. This included individuals running a wide variety of charity organizations and veterans from the armed forces who had suffered life-changing injuries.

In addition to these guests, the couple also invited members of the public who had served their communities. This decision reflected Harry and Markle's shared passion for humanitarianism and their desire to incorporate their love for community service into their wedding celebrations.

While the guest list did not include any political leaders, it is likely that some celebrities and foreign royals were in attendance. Royal biographer Duncan Larcombe predicted that Markle's family and close friends from Hollywood would be invited. He also mentioned the possibility of the cast of her TV show "Suits" being in attendance, similar to how celebrities such as Elton John and David Beckham were invited to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding.

A Gift from the Trumps

Despite not being invited to the wedding, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump honoured the couple by making a donation to one of the seven charities that Harry and Meghan had suggested to guests and well-wishers in lieu of gifts. These charities were chosen by the couple for their dedication to causes close to their hearts, including women's empowerment, conservation, the environment, homelessness, and the Armed Forces.

Trump's response to not being invited

President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, were not invited to the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. This was confirmed by a White House official to CNN. Despite this, Trump responded graciously, stating that he wanted the couple to "be happy". He also wished them the best.

However, it is important to note that Trump has a complicated history with the royal family. He has made comments about Princess Diana and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, that the Queen's family may not have approved of. It is possible that these past remarks contributed to the decision to not invite him to the wedding.

In addition, there were diplomatic concerns at play. As the author of "Prince Harry: The Inside Story" pointed out, if the Obamas had been invited and Trump had been snubbed, it could have caused issues for the British government in terms of foreign diplomacy. Harry and Meghan likely wanted to avoid their wedding being overshadowed by such issues.

Overall, Trump's response to not being invited to the royal wedding was mature and respectful. He took the snub in stride and even sent a gift to the happy couple.

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