Obama or Trump: Who Will Prince Harry Invite?

Prince Harry has so far avoided starting a diplomatic rift between the British and US governments over the list of guest that will be invited to his and Meghan Markles wedding, saying that there isn’t a finalized list yet. Who Will Prince Harry Invite?

While on the BBC radio program he was asked whether former US President Barack Obama will be one of the guests, but Harry dodged the question by saying he wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise.

There is speculation in the UK media that the British officials fear that there will be political consequences if the couple decides to invite Barack and Michelle Obama, with whom they are friends, but not invite the President Donald Trump.

Markle, an American actress, has already voiced her opinion on Trump in the past, and not on a good note. There is already widespread controversy in the UK if the President decides to pay the UK a visit.

The wedding is not a full state occasion and the guest list is being made by Buckingham Palace, with the British government having a consultative role. It’s not clear if Downing Street will insist that Trump or a representative be invited, or if this would have any effect o the invitation to the Obamas.

The nerve-racking issue came up when Harry appeared as a guest editor on BBC Radio 4’s flagship program. On Wednesday, after a pre-taped exchange between Harry and Obama, the Prince was asked if his friendship with the former US president means that he will be given an invitation to the wedding.

“We haven’t put the invites or the guest list together yet so who knows whether he’s going to be invited or not. I wouldn’t want to ruin that surprise,” the prince said.

Harry became close to the Obamas through their support for the Invictus Games, an event for injured servicemen and women that was started by the UK royal in 2014.

The Prince also had an interview with Obama for BBC 4’s Today program while he and the former President were both in Toronto, Canada for this year’s Games.

The Prince and Markle, who made their engagement public last month, have set May 19 as their wedding dress. The ceremony is set to take place in St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle, west of London.

UK newspaper has already started with the speculation over who is and is not on the guest list, which might turn out to be quite the mix between British and showbiz aristocracy.

The wedding is expected to be of a smaller size when compared to Prince Williams wedding in 2011. He and his wife, Kate Middleton, had two receptions in Buckingham Palace: a traditional lunch for over 600 guests, which was hosted by the Queen and included dignitaries and officials, and a more intimate evening party with a measly 300 guests, friends, and family.

St Georges Chapel was most recently the scene for the wedding of Peter Phillips- son of Princess Anne and cousin to Harry- who married the Canadian born Autumn Kelly, there in 2008.

Harry and Markle have been spending time with the Queen and Prince Phillip. They were with them for Christmas at Sandringham, the Queens country estate in rural Norfolk, about 100 miles north of London.

When asked how their first Christmas with the family went, both Meghan and Harry seem to be quite satisfied. Harry said they had had an “amazing time” and a lot of fun with William and his family. “Oh it was fantastic, she really enjoyed it. The family loved having her there,” he said of his fiancee.