London: In a break from tradition, US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle are unlikely to be on the guest list when Prince William marries Kate Middleton next year.
Royal sources revealed on Thursday that the President and his wife are not among the congregation, as the royal wedding is not classed as a ‘state occasion’ - because the Prince is not yet heir to the throne.
Courtiers suggested they are more eager to ask ordinary citizens and charity workers than foreign dignitaries and VIPs at the ‘people’s wedding’, reports a daily.
Reports are also abuzz that the couple are said to feel no pressure to fill the 2,000 seats at Westminster Abbey.
Despite the Obamas not being invited, a number of heads of state are likely attend the ceremony on April 29 in line with previous royal weddings, possibly including France’s president Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni.
But the decision to exclude the U.S. President from the celebrations is a break from tradition.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana invited then US President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy to their 1981 ceremony. They were also invited for the wedding of Prince Andrew to Sarah Ferguson in 1986.
“It is certainly not the case that all foreign heads of state will be excluded. The guest list is still being drawn up and could change, but as things stand it’s right (to say Mr Obama will not be invited),” said a senior courtier
ANI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.