Bridal Diplomania

To invite, or not to invite
That is the question.
Whether 'tis nobler in the marriage
To suffer the Tweets and barbs
Of an outraged president
Or to invite a family friend
And risk an international diplomatic crisis.

Ay, there's the rub.

    Shakespeare himself could not have written a more convoluted plot over an upcoming marriage ceremony than the one now playing out over the planned nuptials of Prince Harry of the United Kingdom and Meghan Markle, a princess of Hollywood and American show business.
   Harry has indicated he doesn't really get along well with the new guy in the Oval Office, and Meghan has said she doesn't want him to attend because of his comments and attitudes about women and people of color.
   Harry, on the other hand, gets along very well with Barack Obama, the former president of the United States, as well as with Michelle Obama, the former First Lady.
   A decision on who will be on the wedding invitation list has not yet been made, Harry says.
   Meanwhile, the British government and the prime minister are not on good terms with the current American president and would likely be displeased if the new guy were invited.
   This is further complicated by the potential anger in the Oval Office if the Obama couple were invited. Doubly so if the current president be snubbed.
   As devotees of soap operas might say, Well you see, it's like this:
   If the new guy is invited, will he accept, knowing he's not really wanted?
   If the predecessor, a family friend, is invited, how much will that annoy the new guy?
   If both are invited and attend, where will they sit, and will they accept the seating arrangements?
   If  Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip are seated in the first row, does that mean President Donald Trump will get a second row seat, and on which side? Behind the American bride's family, or behind the queen and the groom's family?
   Will the Trumps and Obamas be seated in the same row, or will Trump insist on a front row seat, with Obama relegated to secondary status?

   Or will Meghan and Harry invite just the Obamas and not the Trumps? Or neither of the above?
   Note: Obama, president at the time of Prince William's wedding, was not invited, and the ceremony was kept a family affair within the United Kingdom.
   As the oldest son, William is heir to the throne, after his father Prince Charles. Then there are the two children of William and Kate.
  That makes Harry fifth in line of succession to the throne, so the diplomatic consequences of snubbery are not really an issue.
   Unless one of the snubbees makes it one. And considering the past history of You Know Who, don't be surprised if that happens.
   And you thought you had problems.