Royal wedding guest list: the Beckhams, 'Mr. Bean,' Elton John and foreign royals will join Kate and William
This post has been corrected. See the note below for details.
An official guest list for the royal wedding was released Saturday, with celebs Elton John, David and Victoria Beckham, singer Joss Stone, director Guy Ritchie and "Mr. Bean" actor Rowan Atkinson among those confirmed to attend the nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Oh, don't forget famed photographer Mario Testino, who snapped the couple's engagement pics.
David Beckham and William worked together as ambassadors of England's 2018 World Cup bid, and Ritchie is a friend of the bride and groom; Atkinson is a close friend of Charles, Prince of Wales, the father of the groom; John famously performed a personalized version of "Candle in the Wind" at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997; and Stone performed at the 2007 Concert for Diana.
About 1,900 guests have been invited to the April 29 ceremony at Westminster Abbey, with 600 of them continuing on afterward to Buckingham Palace for an afternoon reception with champagne and appetizers.
St. James' Palace on Saturday also released the Abbey seating plan. Notably, the Spencer family -- Diana's relatives, and therefore linked to the groom -- will be seated in the North Lantern with the bride's family and some of Kate and William's friends. The royal family, with more than 46 foreign royals seated behind them, will be across the aisle.
The presence on the list of Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain ruffled some feathers, given the recent rough government treatment of pro-democracy activists in that country. Some human-rights activists were petitioning British Foreign Secretary William Hague to rescind the prince's invite.
Other interesting names on the guest list: John Major, who was responsible for William and Harry's legal and administrative matters after their mother's death, and Amanda Berry, chief executive of BAFTA, the organization behind Britain's equivalent of the Oscars. William has been BAFTA president since 2010.
The list -- selective, not exhaustive -- tips a hat to its plus-ones, noting that certain individuals including those listed above have been "invited with their spouses or partners if married or in a civil partnership." Guess Elton and David Furnish, who entered into a civil partnership in 2005, may be in the market for a babysitter for new son Levon. Then again, they've known for a while that they had an invitation.
Palace officials told the Associated Press that only crowned heads of states are traditionally invited to royal weddings, and that political leaders who are not from the 54-member Commonwealth of nations, such as President Obama and President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, didn't receive invitations.
Also on the list were various British government and defense officials, families of British soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, William's army colleagues and people who work for William's charities.
Queen Elizabeth II gave her formal consent to the marriage on Thursday, her 85th birthday.
For the record, April 25, 2011: This post originally referred to Prince Harry as Henry on second mention. Thanks to commenter @Leona for catching the typo.
RELATED:
Queen Elizabeth II marks her 85th birthday -- unofficially
A who's who guide to Prince William and Kate Middleton's crowd [pictures]
Royal wedding memorabilia: Owning a slice of William and Kate's big day [pictures]
Interactive: Your guide to the royal wedding
-- Christie D'Zurilla
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Top photos: David and Victoria Beckham, left; Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean; Elton John and David Furnish. Credits: Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images, left; Will Burgess / Reuters, center; Chris Young / Canadian Press, right.
Left photo: The "Instrument of Consent," the queen's historic formal consent to Prince William's forthcoming marriage to Catherine Middleton, is displayed at the Crown Office at the House of Lords in London on Thursday. Credit: Clive Gee / WPA Pool
Royal blood sucking trailer trash.Read the true history British Royal trash !!Even the famous ROYAL crown jewels were looted(STOLEN) from other enslaved countries !!!
Posted by: Smellyecoli2 | Apr 23, 2011 at 02:56 PM
Kudos to the Windsors for not inviting the classless Obamas to the Royal wedding.
Posted by: Windfall | Apr 23, 2011 at 03:16 PM
@Windfall
How exactly do the Obamas constitute as being "classless" exactly?If anything,your statement as "pointless" in nature it indeed is actually says more about you than it does about the first family.
Posted by: Samantha | Apr 23, 2011 at 04:21 PM
Oh bloody veddy pip pip who cares.
Posted by: goodluckca | Apr 23, 2011 at 04:22 PM
Class is the ENEMY and the BRITS are a preview of coming attractions for the USA.
EMPIRE is dead.
White people can no longer show up and start naming things in ENGLISH and not expect IED's in response.
England is on the wane and America follows for one reason only. We conquer you but are unable to govern even ourselves. We prefer exploration, war and conquer more than we dig the conquered peoples and what ever it is that seem to want?
And in the end this is where England and America and the folly of Empire dies. It dies in the history lessons of Hadrian's Wall and Gitmo and Mexico.
Beige folks;here!
English Language Learners; here!
Nuclear proliferation; here!
And we have only 2 choices.
Adapt before we drown in our own history
or murder them all.
Sticky wicket that?
r
Posted by: tillzen | Apr 23, 2011 at 06:44 PM
I was invited but my sock drawer is in such need of arranging.
Posted by: Ron | Apr 23, 2011 at 07:45 PM
@windfall
Their action speaks loudly about their racism and bigotry as they invited president Reagan and Nancy Regan (not exactly with royal blood) for Diana's wedding. They snubbed France to hide their racism. All the jewels they will show case are stolen from Iran and India!
Posted by: Omida | Apr 23, 2011 at 10:19 PM
We can't say Obama didn't try hard to reach out in friendship to the Brits. he returned the bust of Churchill that used to grace the Oval Office and presented the Queen with in an I-pod filled with Obama speeches. It's just not proper that the Royal Family is so ungrateful.
Posted by: Van Hattem | Apr 24, 2011 at 03:50 AM
President Reagan and Nancy were invited to the wedding of Charles and Diana. Ronnie did not attend because he was recovering from the attempt on his life but Nancy did attend. So why the snub to President Obama and Michele?
Posted by: Rhoda | Apr 24, 2011 at 06:45 AM
I'll bet they have more class than you.
Posted by: Citizen Joe | Apr 24, 2011 at 06:57 AM
Just thought I'd point out that the day of the wedding is the day the Worlds Figure Skating Championship in Moscow has the Ladies short program. I wonder which event people will be watching? Anyway, best wishes to the bride and groom. Here's my prediction for Ladies figure skating at Worlds: Alissa Czisny Gold; Yuna Kim Silver; Mao Asada Bronze; Miki Ando 4th.
Posted by: mike peters | Apr 24, 2011 at 08:42 AM
I wish you both the best life together. I wish you to be happy together, in your
world among the Queen and all the higher ups but remember you both live and breath like everyone on earth.Do as your mother Princess Diana did she gave so much of herself and loved so deeply for all the good causes that she worked with, So live a happy life.And God bless you.
Posted by: pat wagner | Apr 24, 2011 at 06:35 PM
Miss Middleton and Prince William I Wish U Every Happiness and Successes In Ur Marraige and in Life
Posted by: Ayodhya Dhameesha | Apr 27, 2011 at 02:38 AM
President and Mrs. Obama SHOULD have been invited. This was very bad judgment-not inviting them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: James Hall | Apr 27, 2011 at 04:32 PM
Can any couple be more boring than the Beckhams? She looks like a plastic barbie doll. Frankly, why the media keeps thrusting this people on us beats me.
Posted by: KGCgirl | Apr 29, 2011 at 10:48 AM
I think it was a Beautiful wedding and the people that needed to be invited, was invited. Too bad some couldn't go because they weren't invited. That's life. Get over it and let well enough alone. I hope Prince William and Princess Kate have a long and happy and fruitful life together.
Posted by: StarBrite | Apr 29, 2011 at 04:04 PM