The Obamas and the Royal Wedding

Traditionally, American head of states don't attend royal weddings, but ARE invited, I am assuming as a courtesy due to their position. The Reagans were invited to Diana and Charles' wedding. Both Bush Sr and Clinton were invited to the Spanish royal wedding of Prince Felipe and Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano in 2004. But then again Tony Blair and Gordon Brown are not invited either, when tradition has been to invite all surviving British Prime Ministers.

Did Willaim and Kate slight the Obamas by not extending a courtesy invite, or are they just making their own rules?

 

It's their wedding, William and Catherine can invite who they like.

Since the US isn't a part of the commonwealth, no invitation should ever be expected. And it shouldn't be taken as an insult.

 

Plus, they couldn't go anyway.

 

There is only room for one on the throne and that one is God.

 

LMAO...!!!! BRILLIANT...!!!!
:smt043:smt043:smt043

 

No one can read between the lines on this one? Every single President except the Black one. Interesting huh?

 

I think people reserve the right to choose who comes to their wedding i don't see any big deal about it.

 

It may be their wedding day, but they certainly cant invite who they wish. That is decided by the Royal family and Government.
They cant even travel abroad without permission from the British Gouvernment.

 

Exactly and it says something about their government that they didn't invite the Obamas. Again read between the lines people.

 

You mean the future King of England cannot travel unless permitted by British Government? Really? i never knew

 

Didn't you get the memo? God is dead.

 

I'm curious about who else didn't get an invite

I think we're hearing about the black guy and the French guy because that's who the media want you to focus on(there's a lot of anti-French sentiment in this country and anti-English in France).

Quoted the official reason up there, but I think in Obama's case this is relevant too:

Also, you have to remember that for the first time in a few years, we're not in a position where our countries are required to play nice/pretend to play nice. I sincerely doubt it's racially motivated, but far more likely "Ok folks, we've stopped kissing America's arse now."

There are plenty of non-white leaders invited:

I'm not sure if Americans are aware, but a lot of English people have been annoyed about the amount of arse-kissing our government have done to yours in recent years(don't mention the war!). If this is a political statement, it is more likely to be that our government wants to show that they are no longer America's bitch. And I don't mean that in an unfriendly way, there's no real bad feeling towards Americans, just that people feel our leaders have been sucking up to the American leaders and want it to stop. It's not anti-American, but pro-independence. I'm not saying this is the reason, but it seems a likely one to me and the message is intended to be:
"We are a strong country, we don't need America to look after us and we can make our own decisions. No hard feelings, we're still friends. Also, look at this power we do have, see all the countries we controlled(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations)" ((last part being the planned state visit later on)).

If you want to be offended because you're American, go for it, but this really isn't a black thing, it's an American thing, imho.

Pulled the quotes from a couple of articles: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/218836/world/beckhams-mr-bean-invited-to-royal-wedding-obamas-not // http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ce-William-Kate-Middletons-Royal-wedding.html
For those genuinely not aware of the "We're America's bitch" thing: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=810693 // http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=78205539709 // http://www.politicsforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=10063&start=20 // https://groups.google.com/group/alt...60ac46b21/9251becd5d336c69?hl=en␣becd5d336c69
^and many more can be found online, just pulled the first few that popped up there.

It's not even anti-American really, it's just that "we"(Personally I'm actually not all that bothered, tbh, the further up America's arse we get, the more likelihood of me one day being able to get a US visa ) are our own country and want our government to act like it. This is an important statement and one that is likely to be well received by the British public.

 

Obama visited my country in July 2010(or 2009 not too sure ) and trust me they had to block a lot of roads, the airspace was totally taken over by the US marine and quite frankly life was a bit frustrating for the 36 hours he spent there.
Thing is The English would not allow some snooty secret service agent with no manners and class for that matter to dictate to them and take over their airspace and make the Royal Family look weak hell naw! This is the day for the royal family of england and the future king is marrying and no son of an African and a white woman would take that away from them.:smt004

 

My original point is that traditional protocol was broken both in the case of the Obamas and of the surviving British prime ministers. Given that the Brits didn't extend traditional invites to their own, I'm not sure if it WAS a deliberate slam to our Commander and Chief.

However, If I were Kate and William, I woudl consider getting new aides, as in ANY formal wedding most people send traitional invites to people they are sure can't attend out of common courtesy.

 

Given that both the US and the UK have long histories of imperilism and opression, I hardly feel the Brits are anyone's "bitch". The havoc the Brits wrecked on my homeland is just one example

 

Preach it sister.

 

Charles and Diana were married in St Pauls Cathedral, William and Kate are getting Married in Westminster Abbey which is significantly smaller and just does not seat as many.

This is not an event equal to Charles and Diana it has to be lower key (slightly) because of the financial strain on the public and unlike the 80s they are not willing to mash the expenditure in our faces as much.

Plus are we meant to invite everyman and his dog to the wedding, Obama hasn't bothered to nurture his countrys connection to the UK and not long ago tried to bottom out our economy with the BP thing. (not that I think they shouldn't pay)
Trying to lure people in from here to answer questions about the release of the Lockerbie bomber with a view to imprisioning them when they get over there.

I wouldn't invite him either

Don't want a political discussion, but Obama doesn't seem to know how to win friends and influence people.

 

Where are you from/born ? and when did you move to US?