Official royal wedding list, seating plan released

LONDON (AP) — The full list of confirmed guests and the seating plan for the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton were released by the British monarchy Saturday.

Many of the 1,900 invitees had already been mentioned in the media weeks ago, including soccer star David Beckham and his wife Victoria, musician Elton John and director Guy Ritchie. But others, like soul singer Joss Stone and Mr. Bean actor Rowan Atkinson — a close friend of William's father Prince Charles — were new.

St. James's Palace also confirmed for the first time that Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa will be attending, despite British concerns about the treatment of activists there.

Bahrain's royal family ordered a wide-ranging brutal crackdown against pro-democracy demonstrators that started in mid-February. At least 30 people have died, including four in custody, and many well-known activists and lawyers have been imprisoned.

About 40 other foreign royals from countries including Denmark, Norway, Spain, Thailand and Morocco will be in attendance.

Other guests include British government and defense officials, British soldiers who fought in Afghanistan and people who work for William's charities.

Palace officials said that only crowned heads of states are traditionally invited to royal weddings, and that political leaders who are not from the 54-member Commonwealth of nations, such as President Barack Obama or French President Nicolas Sarkozy, weren't sent invitations.

SEE PHOTOSSee Prince William, Kate and family through the years

The seating plan for the April 29 ceremony at Westminster Abbey revealed the select few who will witness the ceremony up close. About 1,000 people will sit in the section of the abbey where views of the altar are restricted.

Queen Elizabeth II and other royal family members will sit in the front row across the aisle from the Middleton family. They will be closest to the abbey's sanctuary, where William and his bride will stand.

The Middletons will sit with the couple's friends and Princess Diana's Spencer family.
  

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The list of guests invited by the royal family to attend the April 29 royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London. The release did not list attendance details of the extended Middleton family and their guests.

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BEST MAN: Prince Harry, 26.

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MAID of HONOR: Philippa Middleton, 27, sister of Catherine Middleton.

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BRIDESMAIDS:

— Lady Louise Windsor, 7, William's first cousin on his father's side. She is the daughter of his uncle, Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.

— The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones, 8, William's second cousin. The daughter of Viscount and Viscountess Linley first came into the public spotlight in 2006, when William swung the delighted 4-year-old into the air as they were walking to church for Christmas Day service.

— Eliza Lopes, 3, granddaughter of Prince Charles' wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall. Eliza's mother, Laura, is Camilla's only daughter from her previous marriage to Andrew Parker Bowles. When Laura Lopes got married in 2006, her stepbrother, Prince William, and Kate Middleton attended the wedding.

— Grace van Cutsem, 3, godchild of Prince William. The royal family and the van Cutsems are reputedly very close and Prince William often stayed with the van Cutsems as a child.

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PAGE BOYS:

— William (Billy) Lowther-Pinkerton, 10, son of Prince William and Prince Harry's private secretary since 2005, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton.

— Tom Pettifer, 8, is another one of William's godchildren and the son of William's former nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke.