BBC: The Crown Prince of Bahrain has said he will not attend Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding on Friday because of ongoing unrest in the Gulf kingdom.Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa said it was with "deep regret" that he had reached his "considered decision".
He said he had hoped the situation in Bahrain would have improved so he could attend and not "overshadow" the event.
Human rights campaigners had petitioned against his attendance because of his government's treatment of protesters.
Bahrain, a normally placid Arabian peninsula, has been the focus of ongoing violent clashes between anti-government demonstrators and security forces.
'Political proxy'
Scores of people have been killed and the government has announced a state of emergency, calling in Saudi troops to keep order.
The recent clashes began in February after police fired on protesters, killing seven people.
The Crown Prince wrote to the Prince of Wales to explain his decision, expressing his "wholehearted apologies". » | Sunday, April 24, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Royal wedding invitation to crown prince of Bahrain draws criticism: Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa is standing by his government's crackdown – and is due at Friday's royal wedding » | Paul Gallagher | Saturday, April 23, 2011
