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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that Thatcher and Major should not have been invited to the royal wedding....

100 replies

magicmummy1 · 24/04/2011 11:54

...if they weren't also going to invite Blair and Brown? Surely it should be all former PMs or none?

Yes, it's their wedding, and of course, there's an argument that they should be able to invite whoever they like. But in my view, if they choose to accept the trappings of royalty, along with the wealth and status that royalty confers, then they need to accept that this is not "just" their wedding, it is a state occasion.

Personally, I don't think they should be allowed to make such blatant political statements, and I'm amazed that this has been allowed to happen! AIBU?

OP posts:
manfromCUK · 27/04/2011 13:02

@ Want2......

It's nothing to do with that -read the thread.

SardineQueen · 27/04/2011 13:04

What about older Labour PMs? Are they all dead?

SardineQueen · 27/04/2011 13:05

Thinking about it they must all be dead!

In which case fair enough I guess.

ilovemydogandMrObama · 27/04/2011 13:08

Hmm at Buckingham Palace saying it's a, 'semi State occasion...' Either it is a state occasion or it isn't. The Knights of the Garter thing is a bit odd. For instance, I didn't feel the need to invite people my grandmother knew from work to my wedding.

MarioandLuigi · 27/04/2011 13:09

I love the spin the mail have put on it - Blair and Brown not invited, but Kate's ex-junkie Uncle is invited (I think Uncle is the word the Mail seem to be overlooking)

Want2bSupermum · 27/04/2011 13:10

manfromCUK - When I got married I didn't invite some of my Dads friends and some of the excuses that came up were perfectly legit. The real reason for not inviting one was because I didn't like the way he treated his wife (he left her for another woman and didn't support her or his children), another because she skirted with the law (never broke it but came darn close) and another because of his dodgy employment practices. All three appear on the surface to be honourable people but I have no desire to host such people.

It suits the Royal family to say that the lack of invites was due to the Knights of Garter including two form Tory PMs. I wouldn't want Blair at my wedding. The man has blood on his hands and is a war criminal. The Royals have to remain unbiased and if they invited Brown and not Blair the reason(s) would be too obvious.

SardineQueen · 27/04/2011 13:12

why are they inviting all these dictators then? but not president ob? whats the reasoning behind that?

buggerlugs82 · 27/04/2011 13:12

This reply has been withdrawn

This post has been withdrawn due to privacy concerns.

Bramshott · 27/04/2011 13:17

There are only a limited number of Garter Knights and you can only become one when one dies. The last two were installed in 2008 - so no space for Blair or Brown even if they wanted to. John Major was made a Knight of the Garter in 2005 and left office in 1997.

biryani · 27/04/2011 13:21

I agree. Although neither are peers (or whatever the reason is to exclude them) they were both PMs in times which proved to be difficult for the Royals, and gave them a lot of support when things when pear-shaped after Diana. They should have been invited at least, although I can't imagine old Gordon wanting to attend.

I don't really think anyone cares less about the Royal Family any more - they've shown themselves up as dysfunctional as the rest of us - more so, probably - and IMHO don't deserve our respect, let alone interest in their sordid lives.

Tolalola · 27/04/2011 13:25

thebestisyettocome why on earth should Obama be invited?

Last I checked the USA is not a member of the Commonwealth or a UK Overseas Territory. Leaders of those countries/territories are invited, not random heads of state from around the world!

SardineQueen · 27/04/2011 13:33

What about people like Bahrain? They aren't in the commonwealth or an overseas territory AFAIK

VajazzHands · 27/04/2011 13:38

It is a wedding first a state function second.

I feel like starting an AIBU on behalf of Kate Middleton...

AIBU to not invite that sour faced Cherie Blair.. she never liked DF and Gordon Brown isn't he a miserable shit of a man.. It's my wedding and I want it my way!

JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar · 27/04/2011 13:56

I was wondering that too, Sardine. It's not like they're related, either (unlike some Euro trash royals).

YANBU, OP.

The Knights of the Garter thing didn't prevent Charles and Diana inviting 5 former PMs, of whom (iirc from my indepth study of the DM earlier ) only two were Knights of the Garter.

I guess it has something to do with this not being a state occassion, Wills not being first in line. Still think it's crap form though.

I've gone right off this wedding now. After yesterday's excitment, too. [cangry]

SeymoreButts · 27/04/2011 14:02

Didn't Cherie Blair piss everyone off at Buckingham palace? Something to do with her book if I remember rightly. She's not welcome now, I bet Tony is livid with her.

LunaticFringe · 27/04/2011 14:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar · 27/04/2011 14:09

If they'd invited Tone and not Cherie (not Cherie for the reasons already mentioned) I'd have been impressed.

I've gone back to thinking all royals are tossers now, which is a shame as I was looking forward to Friday. The fuckers.

Newgolddream · 27/04/2011 14:23

"Yeah, I sort of love Thatcher, I'd do anything to have her at my wedding. Brown did an awful lot to mess up Britain (and Tony)." .........

Haha - and Thatcher never? Grin

But seriously it does seem a bit divisive to me.

PanicOnTheStreetsOfLondon · 27/04/2011 14:35

Love the DM being so outraged at them not inviting B&B but daring to invite her Uncle. I saw that they called him an 'oik' this morning but have now changed their headline to 'bum'.

GabbyLagoon · 27/04/2011 14:40

well, it is a very public wedding and a very public invitation.list.

I suppose the vast majority of those invited are Tory sympathisers...
foxhunters...top brass military and the like

Why would anyone expect the richest family in the land to be anything other than Tory?

Could Mumsnetters accept a Royal family which was NOT loaded with cash and property...? I suspect not.

donnie · 27/04/2011 14:50

Obama is not invited? and the rulers of Saudi/Bahrain are?

fuckinell.

Tolalola · 27/04/2011 14:55

Yes LunaticFringe is right. Crown Prince of Bahrain qualifies under the 'royal head of state' category.

I just find it a bit odd that Obama, specifically, not being invited is causing a stir - other (non-royal, non-commonwealth etc.) heads of state aren't going, why the assumption that the USA should suddenly qualify for special treatment?

TeddyMcardle · 27/04/2011 14:55

Agree with you OP and about the dictators invited too. But mostly I agree with Jenai that all royals are tossers and can't wait for it be over!

PanicOnTheStreetsOfLondon · 27/04/2011 14:58

TBH I couldn't care less about which current/former head of state is/isn't going.

I'm more interested in Vicky B's outfit tbh

grando · 27/04/2011 15:16

Magicmummy is right! It is a disgrace for the Royal Family even to suggest political bias.
Charles1st had his head cut off to ensure an unelected royal family didn't interfere with Democracy.
I haven't voted Labour for a very wrong time but such favouritism still struck me as arrogant.
But then the ?Ruling Class? enjoys showing who?s in charge.

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