Dr Sami Khiyami the Syrian Ambassador to the UK has had his invitation to the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton rescinded at the last minute by the British Foreign Office and the Royal Palace. The decision was announced by William Hague, the British Foreign Secretary.
With the unrest that has been taking place in Syria for the last six weeks and the Syrian regime reportedly killing some 500 people, the fact that the Syrian Ambassador was invited to the Royal Wedding was deemed by many as completely inappropriate.
It transpires that the diplomatic guest list was in essence managed by the British Foreign Office although the actual invite would have come from the Royal Palace. This probably explains the delay in rescinding the invite as both the Palace and the Foreign Office needed to communicate and agree on the best way to proceed and clearly the mood of the nation dictated that the Ambassadors attendance would be unacceptable.
It would have been bizarre to exclude Tony Blair a long-serving British Prime Minister whom some credit with being the saviour of the monarchy during it's difficult time of dealing with Princess Diana's tragic death and yet to have a representative from Syria at this time. However, that said we will be seeing the attendance of representatives from Zimbabwe at the Royal Wedding.
LATEST UPDATE: The Syrian Ambassador has commented, stating that he does not understand his exclusion from the Royal Wedding and is embarrassed by it.
It would have been bizarre to exclude Tony Blair a long-serving British Prime Minister whom some credit with being the saviour of the monarchy during it's difficult time of dealing with Princess Diana's tragic death and yet to have a representative from Syria at this time. However, that said we will be seeing the attendance of representatives from Zimbabwe at the Royal Wedding.
LATEST UPDATE: The Syrian Ambassador has commented, stating that he does not understand his exclusion from the Royal Wedding and is embarrassed by it.
