Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are to get married on May 19. (File photo)
London:
British Prime Minister Theresa May has not been invited to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on May 19, a British government source said on Tuesday.
Harry, grandson of Queen Elizabeth and younger brother of Prince William, will marry Markle, an American actress best known for her role in the TV series "Suits", at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.
The wedding guests will be people who have an existing direct relationship with the groom or the bride or with both, said a source at Kensington palace, the official residence of William and Harry.
An official spokesman for the palace 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. Her Majesty's Government was consulted on this decision, which was taken by The Royal Household."
The Telegraph newspaper and other British national media said US President Donald Trump and his predecessor Barack Obama had not been invited. The palace spokesman declined to comment.
There had been some speculation that the Obamas might be invited due to the personal rapport between the former president and Harry, but it would have been diplomatically awkward to invite the Obamas and not the Trumps.
Although the royal family is expected to steer well clear of politics, Britain's delicate constitutional balance means that its members have to consult discreetly with the government to ensure their public actions comply with foreign policy.
The British government source said there had been no expectation from May's office that the prime minister would be invited.
The government source noted that the wedding venue was significantly smaller than Westminster Abbey, where Harry's older brother wed Kate Middleton in 2011 in the presence of numerous heads of government.
Harry, grandson of Queen Elizabeth and younger brother of Prince William, will marry Markle, an American actress best known for her role in the TV series "Suits", at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.
The wedding guests will be people who have an existing direct relationship with the groom or the bride or with both, said a source at Kensington palace, the official residence of William and Harry.
An official spokesman for the palace 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. Her Majesty's Government was consulted on this decision, which was taken by The Royal Household."
The Telegraph newspaper and other British national media said US President Donald Trump and his predecessor Barack Obama had not been invited. The palace spokesman declined to comment.
There had been some speculation that the Obamas might be invited due to the personal rapport between the former president and Harry, but it would have been diplomatically awkward to invite the Obamas and not the Trumps.
Although the royal family is expected to steer well clear of politics, Britain's delicate constitutional balance means that its members have to consult discreetly with the government to ensure their public actions comply with foreign policy.
The British government source said there had been no expectation from May's office that the prime minister would be invited.
The government source noted that the wedding venue was significantly smaller than Westminster Abbey, where Harry's older brother wed Kate Middleton in 2011 in the presence of numerous heads of government.
© Thomson Reuters 2018
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