Royal Wedding guest list

As the final preparations get underway in the run up to the royal wedding, official invitations have been sent out to around 1,900 guests. The large white cards embossed with gold state: ‘The Lord Chamberlain is commanded by the Queen to invite [name] to the marriage of his Royal Highness Prince William of Wales KG with Miss Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on Friday 29 April 2011 at 11.00am.’

More than half of the guests will be friends and family of William and Kate, with celebrities such as David and Victoria Beckham on the list, along with ex-Beatle Paul McCartney, who is thought to have agreed to perform.

The Queen is also said to have personally invited 40 crowned heads from around the world, including the King of Saudi Arabia, the Sultan of Oman and the Emperor of Japan. They will be joined by senior politicians and representatives of the various charities the Royal Family support.

The dress code for the day is a uniform, morning coat or lounge suit for the gentlemen, while the ladies have been asked to wear a hat throughout the service.

After the ceremony, around 600 guests have been invited to join the royal couple at their wedding breakfast reception which is to be hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace. This will then be followed by a more intimate dinner and dance for around 300 guests.

For the ceremony, William has asked his brother Harry to be his best man, breaking with the royal tradition of having more than one supporter, while Kate has chosen her sister Philippa to accompany her down the aisle as her Maid of Honour. The couple have also asked an assortment of young relatives, god children and friends’ offspring to be their bridesmaids and page boys.

As Best Man, Harry has been put in charge of organising William’s stag do, with plans for a water sport getaway on the south coast followed by a cruise to various local pubs on the waterfront. Around 20 of William’s close friends have been invited to celebrate with him.