Thatcher, Major invited to Royal Wedding while Blair, Brown aren't

[You kip if you want to...]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/royal-wedding/8470465/Royal-wedding-No-place-for-Tony-Blair-and-Gordon-Brown.html

Strange...

Trivial OT: Is Stephen Harper going, or is the election in the way?

[Hash]

Harpo excused himself because of the election. Not sure which useless twat is representing Canada.

[afleitch]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/royal-wedding/8470465/Royal-wedding-No-place-for-Tony-Blair-and-Gordon-Brown.html

Strange...

Trivial OT: Is Stephen Harper going, or is the election in the way?

John Major would be expected to be in attendance as after Diana's death he was appointed as a special guardian for both William and Harry. No idea why Thatcher was invited though.

[Silent Hunter]

"A spokesman for St James’s Palace said Mr Blair and Mr Brown had not received invitations because neither were Knights of the Garter, unlike Sir John and Lady Thatcher."

A strange rule, but an understandable one. Neither Brown or Blair hold any formal government positions, unlike the other guests.

It's also worth noting that no US government representative appears to be attending.

[You kip if you want to...]

It's also worth noting that no US government representative appears to be attending.

Insert corny joke about Prince Philip, racism and President Obama here.

[Phony Moderate]

Well, my opinions of Brown and Blair have improved.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

What idiot in the Foreign Office thought inviting the Ambassador of North Korea of all places would be a good idea?

[You kip if you want to...]

What idiot in the Foreign Office thought inviting the Ambassador of North Korea of all places would be a good idea?

I didn't even know that. And no one from the states gets a look in, not even Hillary...

[J. J.]

It's also worth noting that no US government representative appears to be attending.

Insert corny joke about Prince Philip, racism and President Obama here.

Well, someone could always mention Queen Charlotte. 

[You kip if you want to...]

OT: Just realised that the new Royal couple will share an anniversary with the Hitlers.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Weren't all alive former Prime Ministers (Macmillan, Douglas-Home, Wilson, Health and Callaghan) invited to Charlie and Di wedding?

[Silent Hunter]

Weren't all alive former Prime Ministers (Macmillan, Douglas-Home, Wilson, Health and Callaghan) invited to Charlie and Di wedding?

Yes, but that was a state occasion. This was a semi-state occasion.

[You kip if you want to...]

Weren't all alive former Prime Ministers (Macmillan, Douglas-Home, Wilson, Health and Callaghan) invited to Charlie and Di wedding?

Yes, but that was a state occasion. This was a semi-state occasion.

That's why the Beckhams were invited and not two former Prime Ministers and certain Presidents of allies like France and the US.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Constitutionally unsound and politically stupid - but everyone knows that. Part of the justification for the continued existence of the monarchy in this country is the convention that they are publicly apolitical; this is only a (very) silly and (very) petty little gesture, but they (a general term including their handlers) ought to have known better.

Don't be surprised if the civil list gets a trimming the next time there's a Labour government; this sort of thing gets remembered. Even Labour politicians who like neither will have got the point.

Weren't all alive former Prime Ministers (Macmillan, Douglas-Home, Wilson, Health and Callaghan) invited to Charlie and Di wedding?

Yes, but that was a state occasion. This was a semi-state occasion.

Which is why the bulk of the cabinet, various vacuous 'celebrities' and a charming array of dictators and their representatives (along with the usual army of deposed royal dictators) were there. I'm being serious, and not entirely sarcastic. That is a fairly representative list of the friends of the Battenberg family.

The trouble is, of course, is that you can't actually have a 'semi-state occasion'.

[J. J.]

Weren't all alive former Prime Ministers (Macmillan, Douglas-Home, Wilson, Health and Callaghan) invited to Charlie and Di wedding?

Yes, but that was a state occasion. This was a semi-state occasion.

Nancy Reagan and Prime Minister of Turkey attended Charles wedding, along with various crowned heads/heirs.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wedding_guests_of_Charles,_Prince_of_Wales,_and_Lady_Diana_Spencer

It might have a smaller guest list as well.