THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The King of Bahrain has spared Prince William and Kate Middleton the embarrassment of protests outside Westminster Abbey at their wedding.
While Michelle Obama’s desire for an invitation to Prince William’s wedding fell on deaf ears, the future king has received his first rejection.
Mandrake can disclose that the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Issa al–Khalifa, has informed the Prince and his fiancée, Kate Middleton, that he will not attend the ceremony at Westminster Abbey.
“He has declined his invitation,” confirms my man at St James’s Palace.
The courtier insists that “it was his decision”, but the king’s invitation to the wedding has provoked much negative comment.
This week, he called in foreign soldiers, from neighbouring Saudi Arabia, to help quell protests from pro-democracy campaigners in the tiny island state, which his family owns as much as rules. Navi Pillay, the United Nations human rights chief, condemned the “shocking” use of force by security forces against protesters. » | Tim Walker. Edited by Richard Eden | Saturday, March 19, 2011
