Tomorrow wedding-yes, that one-is termed a semi-state occasion. And
it seems that the House of Windsor and Her Majesty Government have got
themselves into a semi-state about it. Hear that screeching? It the
noise of palace machinery being thrown into reverse as representatives
of dodgy regimes are disinvited, while Tony Blair is excluded.
Bad enough that the Crown Prince of Bahrain and the King of Swaziland
had been summoned to attend. Their countries are hardly shining beacons
of democracy; but at least they had the decency to spare royal blushes
by staying home. Another kingsized blunder hasn been so easily
rectified. premiers got the nodRobe de cocktail
for Charles and Diana 1981 nuptials, and the House of Windsor, usually
at pains to demonstrate political neutrality, is having a tough time
justifying the decision to invite the two living former Conservative
Prime Ministers, Margaret Thatcher and John Major, but not the two
living former Labour PMs, Blair and Gordon Brown. The official
explanation-that Thatcher and Major, like Prince William, are Knights of
the Garter but Blair and Brown are not, and anyway this isn a full
state occasion, oh, and blame the bridal pair who had charge of the
guest list-has as much chance of convincing Britain media that this is
not a snub as the publication of President Obama birth certificate has
of squelching the birther movement. (The Most Noble Order of the Garter
is Britain highest honor, established in the 14th century. There can be
only 24 knights at any one time and all the slots are currently filled.)
Thatcher will not attend, due to ill health. Major will join the
congregation along with current Prime Minister David Cameron and Cameron
Nouveaute de Robe
Cocktail
partner in political marriage, the Deputy
Prime Minister Nick Clegg. Labour will be represented by leader of the
opposition, Ed Miliband.
So far, so uncomfortable. What threatened to make it much worse was that a panoply of ambassadors has been invited (thereby
Robes
Demoiselles d'Honneur
undercutting the argument
about different protocols for state and semi-state occasions). Among
their number was the euphonious Dr Sami Khiyami, Syria ambassador,
called in to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office earlier this week to be
told of Britain concerns about the brutal suppression of Syrian
protests. Today, on the eve of the wedding, Khiyami invitation has been
withdrawn. Shores Soon