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Last December, suspiciously well-placed “sources” spent weeks gossiping about the Duke of Westminster’s upcoming wedding. Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster, will marry Olivia Henson on June 7 at Chester Cathedral, after which there will be an enormous reception at Hugh’s country pile, Eaton Hall, a 11,000-acre estate. When the save-the-dates went out last December, Prince William seemingly saw his opening to make Hugh’s wedding all about Prince Harry and how Hugh didn’t invite the Sussexes to the wedding. “Sources” were crowing that Hugh is incredibly loyal to the Windsors and Hugh would never put Prince William in a difficult position of having to behave like an adult at another person’s wedding. It was all very tacky and obvious from William’s side. Days later, Page Six got an interesting tip that Hugh actually did invite the Sussexes to his wedding but Harry declined the invite and Harry and Hugh spoke about it. Which I believe. Well, predictably, Roya Nikkhah at the Times of London has another big scoop about how the Duke of Westminster’s wedding is all about Prince William.
The Prince of Wales will be an usher at the society wedding of the year when his close friend Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster, gets married next month. Grosvenor, 33, one of Britain’s richest men and a godfather to Prince George, will marry Olivia Henson, 31, at Chester Cathedral on June 7, with Prince William among the groom’s party. The Princess of Wales, who is receiving cancer treatment, is not expected to attend.
To avoid royal tensions overshadowing the day, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not attend. Their absence from the wedding, at which there will be 400 guests, will be notable as Grosvenor is so close to Harry that he is also a godfather to the Sussexes’ son Prince Archie, five.
Grosvenor, known as “Hughie” to his friends, and Henson, who were introduced by mutual friends in 2021, have insisted on a “strictly no-gifts policy” for their guests. With Grosvenor’s inherited fortune estimated at more than £10 billion, the couple have everything that money can buy.
He has a property portfolio of 140,000 acres in Oxfordshire, Cheshire, Lancashire and Scotland as well as 300 acres in Mayfair and Belgravia, inherited from his father, the late Duke, who died suddenly at the age of 64 from a heart attack in 2016.
After the wedding service at Chester Cathedral, guests will enjoy a lavish reception at nearby Eaton Hall, the Grosvenors’ 11,000-acre family estate, where the couple will live. The following day they will host a second, smaller reception at Eaton Hall for close family and friends. Details of both receptions are being kept under wraps.
It is understood the King, who is Grosvenor’s godfather, will not attend the wedding. Charles is still undergoing cancer treatment and will be travelling to France the day before the ceremony with the Queen and Prince William for events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.
The two new pieces of information are that King Charles will not attend his godson’s wedding and that William will be an usher. Did Hugh just ask William or something? This has the feel of William calling up Roya two minutes after Hugh asked. Honestly, I find it weirder that Charles is skipping. I get that Charles will have just gotten back from the D-Day trip to Normandy, but it’s his godson’s wedding. His godson, whose father passed away unexpectedly eight years ago, after which Hugh became one of the richest and most powerful men in the UK. Like, it’s genuinely strange that Charles won’t even bother. (Note: The Mail has a story about why Charles will likely skip, which I will cover separately.)
Also: the mentions of the Sussexes are meant as a distraction from the fact that Kate will not attend. That’s the bigger story than “Harry isn’t flying in for Hugh’s wedding.” It’s that Kate will still be in the wind in June. I’ve posed this question a few times: when will the international media start pressing the palace on Kate again? It feels like Kate will not attend any of the big events in June (Hugh’s wedding, Trooping, D-Day, etc). What happens if no one has heard from her by the time Wimbledon rolls around in July?
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales, Royal Honorary Colonel The Queen's Own Yeomanry, attends a consecration service and presents a new Guidon to The Queen’s Own Yeomanry during a parade at Bramham Park, Bramham.,Image: 387915817, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Hugh Grosvenor,Duke of Westminser, Credit line: John Rainford / Wenn / Avalon
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Featuring: William, Prince of Wales
Where: Wrexham, United Kingdom
When: 01 Mar 2024
Credit: Chris Jackson/PA Images/INSTARimages
**NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
The Prince of Wales speaks to guests during the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in London
Featuring: William, Prince of Wales
Where: London, United Kingdom
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Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages
**NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages
**NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
The Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Cornwall when in Cornwall, breaks ground for the new facility during a visit to St. Mary’s Community Hospital, Isles of Scilly, to meet staff and hear about a new integrated health and social care facility which is set to be built on adjacent land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall
Featuring: William, Prince of Wales
Where: Isles of Scilly , United Kingdom
When: 10 May 2024
Credit: POOL/Cover Images
The Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Cornwall when in Cornwall, breaks ground for the new facility during a visit to St. Mary’s Community Hospital, Isles of Scilly, to meet staff and hear about a new integrated health and social care facility which is set to be built on adjacent land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall
Featuring: William, Prince of Wales
Where: Isles of Scilly , United Kingdom
When: 10 May 2024
Credit: POOL/Cover Images
