As a tribute to his late mother, Prince William and his bride Kate Middleton intend to have the first "people's royal wedding" -- inviting political leaders as well as the postman. And amongst the pews at Westminster Abbey will also be Shozna, a former homeless teenager, reports the Mail.
The 20-year-old woman will be attending the ceremony on April 29, thanks to the prince and, in part, Princess Diana, who was an advocate for the homeless and helped to raise awareness through Centrepoint, a charity group. William has continued her efforts. Back in 2009, he even spent a night on the streets to show his commitment to the cause.
It was through this organization that he met Shozna. Centrepoint rescued the teen, who was without a home after suffering a stroke and undergoing major heart surgery, and provided shelter and a mentor to help her get back on her feet.
Hearing her heartbreaking story at an event last year, the prince expressed his admiration and gave the young woman a hug -- usually a royalty no-no. That small gesture has now led to something more rare -- a royal wedding invitation and the chance to rub elbows with the likes of Elton John and David Beckham.
Shozna (whose last name was withheld for privacy reasons) offered her wishes and gratitude to the groom during an interview with the U.K. newspaper. "I want to say to Prince William: 'Congratulations. Thank you for inviting me and thank you for making people feel like they are part of the world instead of being alone.'"
from: http://royalwedding.aol.com/2011/04/17/homeless-girl-gets-royal-wedding-invite-from-prince-william/
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