Angelina Jolie NOT Attending Royal Wedding, Despite Speculation

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Angelina Jolie is not attending the royal wedding, despite speculation. Gossip Cop can help set the record straight. The actress is indeed in London, but that’s not because she’ll be among the stars at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on Saturday.

Among the outlets misguidedly fueling this wrong narrative are the Daily Mail, which is currently running a headline that states, “Jetting in for the Royal Wedding? Angelina Jolie seen arriving into London with her children two days before big day.” The paper features paparazzi photos of the Oscar winner at Heathrow Airport, where she was joined by son Knox and daughter Shiloh. Of course there’s nothing about the images, which show the family and their luggage in a vehicle, that have anything to do with this weekend’s big nuptials.

But by virtue of the fact that Jolie was seen in London, the publication is making the leap, and even claiming she has “set tongues wagging over whether she would be attending the royal wedding.” The Daily Mail goes on to acknowledge, however, “Although Angelina’s arrival into the British capital sparked speculation she will attend Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s big day, there are no known links between the two actresses.” Yet Harper’s Bazaar is trying to make the case that it makes perfect sense for Jolie to be among the wedding’s guests.

In the magazine’s online piece, which is titled, “Angelina Jolie Will Likely Be Attending the Royal Wedding on Saturday,” it’s asserted “a recent arrival at Heathrow airport is leading us to believe that there is a major celebrity on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s guest list that we may have missed.” According to the outlet, Jolie has “connections to the royal family that are less obvious, but her connections are well worth an invitation.” For instance, it’s said that the movie star’s “human rights work aligns seamlessly with Meghan and Harry’s philanthropic passions, human rights work and the Queen’s global conservation efforts.”

The publication also writes that Jolie “received the title of honorary dame from Queen Elizabeth II this past October,” but that is factually inaccurate. As was widely reported at the time, Jolie’s meeting with Queen Elizabeth for her damehood honor actually took place back in 2014. After that flub, the outlet’s arguments just get flimsy. It’s pointed out that Jolie has worn designs by Ralph & Russo, one of the labels said to be in contention for Markle’s wedding gown, and it’s also noted that Namibia, where Shiloh was born, is among the rumored destinations for the newlyweds’ honeymoon.

Concludes the magazine, “Given her ties to the Queen, her new title as a dame and her connection to the charities Harry and Meghan hold dear, her arrival in London seems fitting. We’re expecting to see her… and potentially two of her six children in the pews and at the receptions to follow.” But this is all guess-work. And these theories have nothing to do with the real reason Jolie is in London.

As first reported by People, Jolie is not attending the royal wedding but is in the UK for professional obligations. In fact, earlier this year it was revealed that Maleficent 2 was expected to start shooting this spring. And on Thursday, Variety announced a new cast member for the Maleficent sequel, which is another indication that production is looming. And even putting this particular project aside, the humanitarian often deals with other career-related endeavors in the UK, such as her guest professorship at the London School of Economics.

In other words, there are reasons for Jolie to be in London that have nothing to do with the royal wedding. The Daily Mail and Harper’s Bazaar stories are examples of what happens when the media makes assumptions instead of doing actual investigating and fact-checking.