Royal Wedding Guest List Revealed
April 10, 2011— -- Details about the royal wedding guest list have slowly come out since the invitations were put in the mail in early February. As anticipated, many foreign dignitaries and members of Britain's aristocracy will be in attendance, but according to The Mail on Sunday, some unexpected celebrities, personal aides, friends and exes also made the cut.
As was previously reported, David and Victoria Beckham and Sir Elton John all received invitations. It has been revealed that film director Guy Ritchie, comedian Rowan Atkinson, designer of Kate's royal engagement dress Daniella Helayel, and former English rugby coach Sir Clive Woodward will also be at Westminster Abbey on April 29.
Breaking with tradition, Prince William has invited a number of his aides to the reception. Among them are two of his former nannies, his press officer, his private secretary and his personal secretary. Also invited is William's former headmaster from the Ludgrove School, the provost of Eton College, and William's housemaster at Eton.
The couple, who visited the Caribbean island of Mustique in the past, included some of the locals on the wedding guest list. The owners of the villa where the couple stayed, the island's head tennis coach, yoga teacher, doctor and the owner of Basil's Bar all received invitations, along with the owners of the villa where Kate and William previously stayed.
Among William's friends at the wedding will be a number of former Etonians, including banking heirs James and David Jardine-Paterson, polo player Ben Vestey and his wife Chloe, and Thomas van Straubenzee, who is expected to assist Prince Harry with the best man's speech, together with his younger brother Charles.
The Prince's best friends from Gloucestershire are all on the list, including all of the Duke of Northumberland's children, polo player Captain Jack Mann, Olympic gold medalist Richard Meade, and Susanna and Jake Warren, the grandchildren of the Queen's former racing manager, the Earl of Carnarvon.