Royal Wedding guests told to bring own picnics to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's celebration

Many are not impressed

With 1,200 members of the public invited to the upcoming royal wedding, most of the lucky guests are counting down the days until May 19, when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will tie the knot.

However, the invitees have been told the Royal Family will not be catering and they must bring their own picnics - and some are a bit miffed about it.

“Bring a picnic lunch as it will not be possible to buy food and drink on site,” guests were reportedly told in a letter.

Members of the public who’ve been invited range from inner-city youth workers to lauded members of communities.

It wasn’t Prince Harry and Meghan Markle themselves who drew up the guestlist though - nine regional lord lieutenants - who are personal representatives of the Queen - nominated members of the public.

A statement from Kensington Palace said: “The couple has asked that the people chosen are from a broad range of backgrounds and ages, including young people who have shown strong leadership, and those who have served their communities.”

Whilst not invited to attend the ceremony, guests will be able to watch the royal couple arrive and then leave in a carriage. The members of the public will fill space that will see images of them beamed around the world in media coverage of the day.

It’s expected they’ll be outside St George’s chapel for over four hours, but have been advised to bring their own sustenance in the letter sent out by the lord lieutenants.

Kensington Palace has suggested some refreshments and snacks will be provided, but guests are still unhappy that they’ve been told to bring their own food.

“If you hear I fainted, it won’t be because I was starstruck,” Rashid Bhayt, 38, a youth charity leader from Coventry told The Guardian.

And some are considering getting food from the McDonald’s nearby, but they accept this may not be what the Royal Family has in mind.

“I'm honoured to have been invited to such a historic event and the food situation amuses me!” said invitee and youth magazine founder Saeed Atcha, 21.

"The fact that Harry and Meghan specifically asked for young people who have shown leadership and served their communities doesn't feel like tokenism," he told The Independent, "I've seen both of them speak at different events before they were a couple and I think that they both truly believe in the power of young people as a force for good.

“The letter says: 'You are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch as it will not be possible to buy food and drink on site.' - that was the letter that I received earlier this month from the local Lieutenancy Office, but a letter I received this morning says that there will be limited food and drink on site.

"Just being there is enough for me and if it means having a late lunch, so be it!"