‘Why I gave away my spare ticket to the royal wedding’
‘It’s nice that somebody who has lost so much can experience it and, hopefully, put a smile on her face’
A GIRL caught up in the Manchester Arena bombing has received an invitation to the royal wedding, and is giving her spare ticket to the grandmother of a teenager who died in the attack.
Amelia Thompson, 12, was allocated a pair of tickets to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on May 19. She asked her mother to forfeit her chance to attend and instead let the second ticket go to Sharon Goodman.
Mrs Goodman’s 15-year-old granddaughter, Olivia Campbell-hardy, was killed in the terror attack last year.
Amelia’s mother, Lisa Newton, said she did not mind giving up her ticket. “It just feels right, the right thing to do,” she said. “Sharon’s looking forward to it and that’s what matters.
“We’ll spend a few days together down there. I’ll go with Amelia as far as I can then I’ll be standing at the streetside like everyone else, waving.
“I’m experiencing it through Amelia going and I think it’s just nice that somebody who’s really struggling and has lost so much can experience it and, hopefully, put a smile on her face.”
Amelia will be among the 2,640 members of the public allowed into the grounds of Windsor Castle to see the royal couple arrive at St George’s Chapel. Kensington Palace disclosed some details of the guest list yesterday, including the surprise announcement that Theresa May, the Prime Minister, is not invited.
“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,” the Palace said. The 600-strong guest list will be restricted to those with a personal connection to the couple.
Royal sources said the decision was taken in part because Prince Harry is not in the direct line of succession, and also because the chapel can accommodate far fewer people than Westminster Abbey, where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge married in front of 1,900 guests.
It means that the Prince and Ms Markle do not have to make an awkward decision on whether or not to invite Donald Trump. Ms Markle has been openly critical of the US president in the past. The Prince has a personal friendship with Barack and Michelle Obama, but royal sources said they would not be attending either. Amelia, from Dronfield Woodhouse, near Sheffield, had no idea that she had been nominated by her mother, and thought at first that it was a joke. “I was speechless. I can’t get my head around it. I’m so excited to go,” she said. Amelia was left with damaged vocal cords from screaming at what she witnessed when a suicide bomber detonated a device at an Ariana Grande concert in May last year. She has since helped to raise fund for victims and their families.
The family struck up a friendship with Mrs Goodman after meeting at a fundraising photo shoot.
Mrs Goodman said it was “an absolute privilege” to be asked to accompany Amelia to the wedding.
“I’ve formed a bond with Amelia and so have other relatives. She’s just a pleasant, beautiful young lady. And courageous. It’s just a privilege really. It’s an honour,” she said.