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British institutions are always holding highly exclusive, highly exciting events to which we are not invited. Each fall, our Hogwarts letters fail to arrive. Then, on March 22, when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sent out invitations to their May 19 wedding (cutting it close, kids), they must've forgotten our address.
We commoners actually had a chance to attend this wedding. In terms of their guest list, Meghan and Harry's emphasis was on including members of the public, not world leaders and public officials. So while the Trumps, the Mays, and the Obamas were not invited, 2,460 members of the public were. 1,200 of those people are ordinary British folk, selected for their accomplishments and societal contributions through a nomination process. The guest list also included 200 charity workers, 100 pupils from local British schools, and 610 people associated with Windsor Castle. These individuals didn't actually see the wedding, though — they'll be on the castle grounds to witness the procession.
The actual ceremony in St. George's Chapel, which only has capacity for 600 people, was a much more exclusive event. Essentially, that's the event that friends and family (and celebrities who happen to be friends and family) attended. Six hundred people attended the public wedding, and then 200 were invited to a private reception after.
Here's a sampling of the guest list, including the incredibly accomplished Brits who got an invite. We'll keep updating the list updated as we learn more.
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