Royal Wedding Guest List
The Beckhams are in, the Obamas are out; this is "not a state wedding."
LONDON, Feb. 21, 2011— -- The guest list for the party of the year is out. And there are some snubs and some surprises for the royal wedding.
Britain's nouveau royalty, David and Victoria Beckham, will be there. David Beckham and Prince William became friends when they were in South Africa together for the soccer World Cup.
And what about Victoria Beckham; the ex-Spice Girl, now fashion designer?
"She's probably been invited on the promise that she doesn't sing at the reception afterwards," said Duncan Larcombe, royal editor at the Sun newspaper.
The invitation comes with a risk, says royal author and Daily Mail reporter Katie Nicholl: "The only risk of having Posh Spice at your wedding is you do risk being upstaged."
So, there's plenty of celebrity but no room in the abbey for the Obamas or President Nicolas Sarkozy of France and wife Carla Bruni.
Apparently, singer Kanye West has an invitation. William's a big fan.
Watch the Royal Wedding Live Coverage on ABC News, April 29, 2011 starting at 4 a.m. ET.
Sir Elton John, who famously sang "Candle in the Wind" at Diana's funeral, is also on the guest-list.
And, yes, Prince Harry is bringing on-and-off girlfriend Chelsy Davy.
The Zimbabwean blonde isn't the only ex to be invited: Kate Middleton's ex-boyfriend, Rupert Finch, and William's first love, Jecca Craig, are both on the list.
"William's exes are his very, very close friends," Nicholl of the Daily Mail said. "Kate is very comfortable around these girls. She doesn't have a problem with them."
As for William's aunt Sarah Ferguson: "Who invites an ex-wife to a family occasion?" says Dickie Arbiter, former press secretary to the queen.
After all, Ferguson fell out with Princess Diana (and has suffered some lurid headlines).
"He's [William's] just not prepared to bury the hatchet with her," the Sun's Larcombe said. "And, frankly, I think the thought of her sitting in the pew with the rest of the royals that day was just too much."
But Nicholl disagrees. "The biggest surprise is that [Ferguson] the Duchess of York hasn't been invited and she was very much expected to be there," she said.
"I'm told it's down to seating arrangements," Nicholl said of Ferguson's not being able to sit with her ex, Prince Andrew, and their daughters. "It's disappointing on Sarah Ferguson's behalf," she said.
What is more, another perceived "black sheep," Middleton's notorious uncle Gary, is invited.
"He has been invited but he's not going to be particularly welcome at the evening part of the ceremonies," Larcombe said of the millionaire businessman.
Not to Be Confused With a State Wedding
So, here's how the invitation process works: 1,900 gilt-edged invitations were sent for the Westminster Abbey service. Six-hundred of the guests will go on for lunch thrown by the queen. And an intimate 300 will dine and dance that night at the palace.
There will be foreign royals, politicians, charity workers and William's military buddies. After all, he is getting married in uniform.
"They are stressing the fact that this is not a state wedding, it's a royal wedding, " Nicholl said. "This is very much about their day. The queen's list is probably the smallest of the day."
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