Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have kept their official royal wedding invite list for their May 19 nuptials top secret. But now we know who’s not invited: “official guests” and heads of state, including former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama and British Prime Minister Theresa May. President Donald Trump and Melania Trump are also not getting the honor of an invite to the royal wedding.
New information shared by Kensington Palace reporters notes that the wedding will exclude an “official list of political leaders” since Prince Harry, who will be sixth in line to the throne following the impending birth of his new niece or nephew, is far enough from the crown not to need to bother with some of the stricter protocols that have previously applied. His brother Prince William, for instance, did invite all the foreign officials — including royals of a number of European countries — as a matter of state for his 2011 nuptials to Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey.
This may come as a surprise to some, since Prince Harry and Obama worked together on the Invictus Games and are known to be friendly. But it looks like the Prince and Markle are keeping it casual for their big day and switching things up, whether by their unorthodox choice of wedding cake (no fruitcake!) or by asking for charitable donations in lieu of normal gifts.
There’s still no final word on if the Spice Girls will be in attendance, so perhaps we can keep hope alive for that reunion. Kensington Palace also shared some of the stories of the 1,200 members of the public who have been selected to come to the Windsor Castle grounds to watch the proceedings, including military veterans, mental health workers and special needs educators.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- Why We Chose Trump as Person of the Year
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- The 20 Best Christmas TV Episodes
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Write to Raisa Bruner at raisa.bruner@time.com