MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — Bahrain’s crown prince will be a no-show at Britain’s royal wedding, saying he doesn’t want the Gulf nation’s unrest to tarnish the celebration.

An official statement says Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa sent his regrets Sunday to London after questions over opening the guest list to a member of Bahrain’s Sunni monarchy, which has waged a wide-ranging crackdown against Shiite protesters calling for more freedoms.

The crown prince says he didn’t want his nation’s troubles to overshadow Saturday’s wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Bahrain’s rulers have imposed martial law and are backed by a Saudi-led military force to try to quell the uprising.