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Journalism of Courage
The full list of confirmed guests and the seating plan for the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton was released by the British monarchy Saturday.
Many of the nearly 1,900 invitees had already been confirmed in the media weeks ago,including soccer star David Beckham and his wife Victoria,musician Elton John and director Guy Ritchie. But others,like soul singer Joss Stone and Mr. Bean actor Rowan Atkinson _ a close friend of William’s father Prince Charles _ were new.
The seating plan for the April 29 ceremony at Westminster Abbey revealed the select few who will witness the ceremony up close. About 1,000 people will sit in the section of the abbey where views of the altar are restricted.
Queen Elizabeth II and other royal family members will sit in the front row across the aisle from the Middleton family. They will be closest to the abbey’s sanctuary,where William and his bride will stand.
The Middletons will sit with the couple’s friends and Princess Diana’s Spencer family.
Royal family members from countries including Bahrain,Denmark,Spain and Morocco will be in attendance. Other guests include British government and defense officials,British soldiers who fought in Afghanistan and people who work for William’s charities.
Palace officials said 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 Barack Obama or French President Nicolas Sarkozy,weren’t sent invitations.
A brief look at guests attending the April 29 royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London. ___
FOREIGN ROYALS
Belgium’s Crown Prince Philippe and his wife Princess Mathilde
Denmark’s Queen Margrethe
Norway’s King Harald and Queen Sonja
Serbia’s Crown Prince Alexander and his wife,Crown Princess Katherine
Spain’s Queen Sofia
Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria and her husband,Prince Daniel
The Netherlands’ Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Maxima
Prince Albert II of Monaco and his fiancee Charlene Wittstock
Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain
Prince Philipp zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg and his wife,Princess Saskia.
CELEBRITIES
David and Victoria Beckham
Elton John and his partner,David Furnish
Comedian and actor Rowan Atkinson
Filmmaker Guy Ritchie
Soul singer Joss Stone
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POLITICIANS and DIPLOMATS
British Prime Minister David Cameron
British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg
British Labour Party leader Ed Miliband
British Virgin Islands Prime Minister Ralph T. O’Neal
American Ambassador Louis Susman
Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham and Gov. Gen. Arthur Foulkes
German Ambassador Georg Boomgaarden
Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor
Jamaican Gov. Gen. Patrick Allen
Polish Ambassador Barbara Tuge-Ereciska
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RELIGIOUS FIGURES
Britain’s Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala,director of the London Buddhist Vihara monastery
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FRIENDS
All 27 members of Prince William’s search-and-rescue unit,C Flight 22,have been invited along with their partners.
