Politicians don’t get royal invite
LONDON — It will be friends and family, rather than politicians and world leaders, at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding next month.
That means U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May are not among 600 people invited to the May 19 ceremony at Windsor Castle’s St. George’s Chapel. A person with knowledge of the guest list who spoke on condition of anonymity said former U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, also are not attending. The Obamas have been friendly with Harry.
The decision was reached after royal officials consulted with the British government to go over protocol and precedent.
Many politicians and world leaders attended the much larger 2011 wedding of Harry’s older brother, Prince William, and Kate Middleton. The rules of succession mean that, unlike William, Harry is unlikely to one day occupy the throne.
It is not yet known how many representatives of Europe’s other royal families will be invited.
Also Tuesday, Kensington Palace officials named some of the 1,200 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will wed on May 19.
members of the public who have been told they will be among the 2,640 people invited to the grounds of Windsor Castle for the big event.
The list includes Phillip Gillespie, a soldier from Northern Ireland who lost his right leg in a combat incident in Afghanistan, where Harry also served, and a number of people who have founded charities. Also on the list is Amelia Thompson, 12, who was caught up in the suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester that killed 22 people last year. She’s taking the grandmother of a Phillip Gillespie from Ballymena, Northern Ireland, was one of 1,200 people in the general public who received an invitation to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle next month. Gillespie lost a leg in combat in Afghanistan, where Harry also served.