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William and Kate invite 1,900 guests to royal wedding

LONDON, (AFP) - Prince William and Kate Middleton have invited 1,900 guests to their wedding in April, palace officials said Sunday, filling Westminster Abbey with an array of royals, world leaders, family and friends.

Gilded invitations issued in the name of Queen Elizabeth II began dropping onto doormats in Britain and abroad after being sent out on Wednesday and Thursday, with the monarch's EIIR cypher die-stamped in gold. 

A member of the Lord Chamberlain’s Office places invitations into envelopes to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, before posting them to the lucky guests who will be present at the April 29, 2011 royal wedding to be held in Westminster Abbey. (AP-Yonhap News)
A member of the Lord Chamberlain’s Office places invitations into envelopes to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, before posting them to the lucky guests who will be present at the April 29, 2011 royal wedding to be held in Westminster Abbey. (AP-Yonhap News)


While names of the guests were not released, the list of dignitaries due to attend the wedding on April 29 is likely to meet Kate's expectations that marrying into the royal family would amount to "quite a daunting prospect."

In a reflection of William's position as second in line to the British throne, the list includes foreign leaders, church officials, diplomats and royals from across the world.

More than 1,000 guests will be drawn from William and Kate's family and friends, including most likely friends from St Andrews university, where the couple met, St James's Palace revealed.

Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip will be at the head of the royal family group filling the pews, along with William's father Prince Charles and his best man and brother Prince Harry.

Kate's parents Michael and Carole Middleton will also have front row seats along with sister Pippa, her maid of honour, and her brother James.

However, not all the guests have been invited to a lunchtime reception following the ceremony and an even smaller group will attend dinner followed by dancing at Buckingham Palace.

Guests received the invites in pale brown envelopes in the past few days.

Below the royal cypher are the words: "The Lord Chamberlain is commanded by the Queen to invite [name] to the marriage of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales K.G. with Miss Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on Friday, 29th April, 2011 at 11.00am."

Guests are to reply to the office of the Lord Chamberlain, one of the top officials in the royal household, who is overseeing many aspects of the wedding preparations.

The card also sets out dress requirements as "uniform, morning coat or lounge suit."

Following the wedding ceremony, about 600 people have been invited to the lunchtime reception at Buckingham Palace, hosted by the queen.

An even more select group of 300 has been invited to dinner followed by dancing hosted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace.

About 50 members of the British royal family have been invited -- although it emerged this weekend that the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, is not among them -- in addition to 40 members of foreign royal families.

A further 80 guests will be drawn from Prince William's charities, which include homelessness charity Centrepoint, the Tusk Trust conservation charity and the Royal Marsden Hospital, where his late mother Diana was also a patron.

Then there will be 200 members of government, parliament and the diplomatic corps, as well as 60 governors-general and prime ministers from Commonwealth countries, and 30 members of the British military.

 

Britain's Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton are seen at St. James's Palace in London, after they announced their engagement. (AP-Yonhap News)
Britain's Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton are seen at St. James's Palace in London, after they announced their engagement. (AP-Yonhap News)

<관련 한글 기사>

英 윌리엄 왕자 결혼 앞두고 세계가 `들썩'

(런던.뉴욕.멕시코시티 로이터.AP=연합뉴스) 영국 왕위계승 서열 2위인 윌리엄(29) 왕자와 동갑내기 약혼녀 케이트 미들턴의 4월 결혼식을 앞두고 벌써부터 영국과 유럽을 비롯해 세계가 들썩이고 있다.

한편 영국 왕실 관계자는 결혼식에 1,900명을 초청했다고 일요일에 밝혔다. 엘리자베스 여왕의 이름으로 발송된 이 초청장들은 지난 수요일과 목요일에 걸쳐 초청자들에게 보내졌다.

미국 케이블 채널들은 윌리엄 왕자의 부모 찰스 왕세자와 다이애나비의 결혼식에 버금갈 세기의 결혼식을 앞두고 왕실과 윌리엄 왕자 커플 관련 프로그램들을 잇따라 편성할 예정이다.

BBC 아메리카는 이미 윌리엄과 케이트 커플에 관한 프로그램 2편을 방영했으며 결혼식 몇 주 전부터 특집 프로그램을 내보낼 것이라고 18일 밝혔다.

또 고(故) 다이애나비, 윌리엄과 해리 왕자, 왕실의 계보에 관한 특집 다큐멘터리 6편가량을 추가로 확보해 방영하는 방안도 검토하고 있다.

케이블방송사 TLC 네트워크는 다이애나비 결혼식에서 들러리를 섰던 인디아 힉스로부터 결혼식 얘기를 들어보는 방송을 준비 중이며 과거 왕족들과의 인터뷰 화면들도 대거 편성할 방침이다.

이런 가운데 멕시코의 에스티발리스 차베스(19)라는 한 소녀는 윌리엄과 케이트의 결혼식에 자신을 초청해달라며 멕시코시티에 있는 영국대사관 앞에서 천막을 치고 9일째 시위를 벌이고 있다고 대사관이 이날 밝혔다.

그러나 대사관 측은 "버킹엄궁은 결혼식에 더 초청할 자리가 없음을 유감스럽게 생각한다"고 전했다.

왕자 커플의 결혼식에 이처럼 세계의 이목이 집중되면서 예비 신부 케이트가 파파라치 등의 끊임없는 사생활을 침해와 외부로부터 쏟아지는 관심에 제대로 적응할 수 있겠느냐는 우려가 나오고 있다.

영국의 유명 홍보담당자인 맥스 클리퍼드는 "엄청난 관심이 쏠리고 있다. 윌리엄은 자신의 어머니처럼 왕실의 스타로 부상했고 케이트도 매력적인 여성인 만큼 파파라치들의 관점에서 볼 때 케이트는 잠재적으로 상업성이 큰 인물"이라고 평가했다 .

그러면서 "요즘은 카메라나 휴대전화만 갖고 있으면 누구나 파파라치가 될 수 있다"고 지적했다.

(연합뉴스)

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