No invite for the Obamas as the Queen personally asks 40 other heads of state to attend Prince William's wedding to Kate



President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle have not been invited to Prince William and Kate Middleton's royal wedding.

The Queen personally invited 40 heads of state, who received the gold-embossed invitations over the weekend to the April 29 wedding of the future king.

The Obamas, however, were not among them.

But they can take solace in the knowledge that they will be the guests of their very own state visit to the UK in May.

Elegant: The Royal wedding invitation was sent to 1,900 guests

Snubbed: The Obamas have been invited for a state visit as a 'sweetener'

There have been suggestions that the state visit – the first for a US President since 2003 – was set up in return for Obama not coming to the wedding because of the added security costs involved with protecting the President.

French Prime Minister Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni will also miss out and Prince Andrew’s former wife, Sarah Ferguson – the Duchess of York – has also been snubbed.

Leaders from Commonwealth counties, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand have been invited along with Kings and Queens across Europe, including Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Greece.

The couple will hope the meet-and-greet will help prepare them for their first official overseas visit as a married couple to Canada in June.



Getting ready for the big day: Prince William and Kate Middleton will have 1,000 friends at the April 29 ceremony

But Britain's Foreign Office said royal officials had sent their regrets to Estibalis Chavez, a 19-year-old fan who has protested outside the country's embassy in Mexico City demanding an invite.

Other guests include the King of Jordan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the Sultan of Oman, the King of Bahrain, the Sultan of Brunei and the King of Saudi Arabia, the Emperor of Japan, the King of Malaysia, the King of Tonga and the King of Thailand.

Around 1,900 guests will attend the Westminster Abbey ceremony, which will be beamed around the world, and the bride and groom have been allowed to invite more than, 1,000 of their friends.

The invitations, which were posted last week, are on thick white card, bevelled, gilded and stamped with EIIR in gold which has then been burnished.

Estibalis Chavez protested outside the British Embassy in Mexico City demanding an invite. British officials did send her their regrets but no invite

Classic and elegant, the black text on the invitation – which has been issued in the name of the Queen – reads: ‘The Lord Chamberlain is commanded by The Queen to invite. . . 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.

‘A reply is requested to State Invitations Secretary, Lord Chamberlain’s Office, Buckingham Palace.’

Gentlemen are required to wear uniform, morning coat or lounge suit. There is no dress code for female guests, although ladies will be required to wear a hat for the wedding service.

Clarence House – the Prince’s official residence – confirmed that more than 50 members of the Royal Family have been invited along with 40 members of foreign royalty.

More than 200 members of the British Government, Parliament and diplomatic corps have been invited.

The Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition will all attend, along with key members of the Cabinet. Also invited are 60 governors-general and Commonwealth prime ministers.

The guest list, also sees around 80 guests from the charities and organisations which William is patron.

The couple has said the wedding should be a chance for everyone to enjoy themselves it austere times.

Just 600 guests have been invited to the wedding breakfast hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace after the service.

Crowned heads will attend along with the British Royal Family, Miss Middleton’s family and the couple’s friends.

The Queen, who made a state visit to Oman and Abu Dhabi last year, believes the wedding invitations will be good for diplomatic relations between Britain and the Middle East.

The couple have invited 300 family and friends to an evening reception at Buckingham Palace.