Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Reportedly Didn’t Invite the Obamas to Their Wedding
Not many people have to carefully plan their entire weddings around accidentally causing any potential international political scandals. Prince Harry does, though, which means that, sadly, despite his and President Barack Obama‘s budding bromance, the former POTUS and FLOTUS will not be invited to Harry’s upcoming wedding to Meghan Markle. The Daily Mail‘s royal correspondent Rebecca English reported on Tuesday that neither the Obamas nor any other global political leaders will be in attendance of the May 19 nuptials.
“President Obama & his wife, Michelle, will NOT be guests at Prince Harry & Meghan Markle’s wedding next month – and nor will Donald Trump. The couple have decided not to invite any political leaders both from the UK & abroad, which means that even [British Prime Minister] Theresa May is uninvited,” English tweeted. In follow-up posts, English wrote that the news had been confirmed by the royal family and that government officials had decided not to encourage Meghan and Harry to turn their wedding into something of a diplomatic event. Though Harry’s older brother, Prince William, also maintained a mostly world leader–free guest list for his own 2011 wedding to Kate Middleton, then Prime Minister David Cameron and a handful of other British politicians were in attendance, according to The Washington Post.
Back in December, Harry was asked by the BBC whether the Obamas would be getting an invitation to his wedding since he spent time with Obama at the 2017 Invictus Games, interviewed him a few months later for the [BBC]https://www.wmagazine.com/story/prince-harry-president-obama-bbc-interview), and visited a Chicago school alongside Michelle last November. At the time, Harry played coy, saying, “We haven’t put the invites or the guest list together yet, so who knows whether he’s going to be invited or not. I wouldn’t want to ruin that surprise.” As The Sun reported this week, though Harry was initially in favor of inviting the Obamas to his wedding, he was less inclined to invite Donald Trump; sources say that royal officials were worried that such a snub could create an international crisis, and so encouraged Harry to simply cross all heads of state, current and former, off the guest list.
In place of the Obamas, Trumps, and other world leaders at the royal wedding will be hundreds of regular British citizens. The palace announced last month that Harry and Meghan were planning on extending invitations to 1,200 members of the public — mostly young people from diverse backgrounds who have shown strong leadership and served their communities — as well as 100 students from local schools.
Related: Is Meghan Markle Really Breaking So Many Royal Traditions?
Meghan Markle’s Style Evolution: See Her Transformation to Princess-To-Be
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce the engagement of Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace on November 27, 2017 in London, England. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been a couple officially since November 2016 and are due to marry in Spring 2018.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took their first public pictures as a couple at Invictus Games Toronto.
Actress Meghan Markle leaves the “Today Show” taping at NBC Rockefeller Center on July 14.
Actress Meghan Markle enters the “Today Show” taping at NBC Rockefeller Center Studios on July 14, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Ray Tamarra/GC Images)
Actress Meghan Markle attends the Instagram Dinner held at the MARS Discovery District on May 31, 2016 in Toronto, Canada.
Meghan Markle attends Glamour and L’Oreal Paris Celebrate 2016 College Women Of The Year at NoMad Hotel Rooftop on April 27, 2016 in New York City.
Meghan Markle attends P.S. Arts’ The pARTy at NeueHouse Hollywood on May 20, 2016 in Los Angeles, California.
Actress Meghan Markle attends AOL Build Presents “Suits” at AOL Studios In New York on March 17, 2016 in New York City.
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA – JANUARY 20: Actress Meghan Markle attends ELLE’s 6th Annual Women In Television Dinner at Sunset Tower Hotel on January 20, 2016 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for ELLE)
Meghan Markle attends the 12th annual CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards at Spring Studios on November 2, 2015 in New York City.
Meghan Markle attends the Prada presents The Iconoclasts with Michael Wilkinson and Tim Martin event during the 2015 New York fashion week. Photo by BFAnyc.com.
Meghan Markle attends the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 13th Annual An Enduring Vision Benefit at Cipriani Wall Street on October 28, 2014 in New York City.
Meghan Markle attends Wes Gordon runway show during MADE Fashion Week Fall 2015 at Milk Studios on February 13, 2015 in New York City.
Meghan Markle attends the UK Premiere of “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” at Odeon Leicester Square on November 11, 2013 in London, England.
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 08: Model Meghan Markle poses backstage at the Herve Leger By Max Azria fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2014 at The Theatre at Lincoln Center on February 8, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week)
Meghan Markle attends the London Global Gift Gala at ME Hotel on November 19, 2013 in London, England.
Meghan Markle attends the Tory Burch fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on September 10, 2013 in New York City.
Meghan Markle attends the Novak Djokovic Foundation New York dinner at Capitale on September 10, 2013 in New York City.
Meghan Markle attends the Gala Tribute To Cate Blanchett during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 2, 2013 in New York City.
Megan Markle arrives on the red carpet at the 2013 MuchMusic Video Awards at Bell Media Headquarters on June 16, 2013 in Toronto, Canada.
Meghan Markle attends USA Network 2013 Upfront Event at Pier 36 on May 16, 2013 in New York City.
Meghan Markle attends the ELLE’s Women in Television Celebration at Soho House on January 24, 2013 in West Hollywood, California.
Meghan Markle arrives at NBC Universal’s 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards after party held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 13, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California.
Meghan Markle attends The Paley Center for Media’s presentation of An Evening With “Suits” at The Paley Center for Media on January 14, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California.
Meghan Markle arrives at the GQ Men of the Year Party at Chateau Marmont on November 13, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.
Meghan Markle attends TV Guide Magazine’s 2012 Hot List Party at SkyBar at the Mondrian Los Angeles on November 12, 2012 in West Hollywood, California.
Meghan Markle attends the HBO Luxury Lounge Featuring L’Oreal Paris And New Era Cap – Day 1 at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles on January 14, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California.
Meghan Markle arrives at the 13th Annual InStyle And The Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Toronto International Film Festival Party at the Windsor Arms Hotel on September 11, 2012 in Toronto, Canada.
Meghan Markle attends the USA Network’s and The Moth’s Storytelling Tour “A More Perfect Union: Stories of Prejudice and Power” at the Pacific Design Center on February 15, 2012 in West Hollywood, California.
