Olivia Henson wows Chester crowds with wedding ceremony gown

Olivia Henson looked the epitome of a beautiful bride as she arrived at Chester Cathedral this morning to marry her groom, the Duke of Westminster.

The soon-to-be Duchess, 31, wowed the crowds – gathered in their hundreds – as her father, Rupert Henson, helped her step out of her vintage Bentley wedding car that escorted the pair to the cathedral door.

She looked ethereal in a bespoke gown by London-based designer Emma Victoria Payne, which was completed with a veil and the Faberge Myrtle Leaf Tiara, made for Grosvenor brides to wear on their wedding day.

The tiara has been in groom Hugh Grosvenor’s family since its creation in 1906, while the bride’s stunning dress featured floral motifs and edgings from Olivia’s great great grandmother’s veil from around 1880.

As she arrived at the cathedral for the historic wedding, the bride was accompanied by a woman who appears to be her mother, who carried her train in a sweet moment. 

The bride – whose veil seemed to have a mind of its own at one point, flying around in the wind uncontrollably – also nodded to the traditional ‘something blue’ for brides with a subtle nod in her footwear as she sported teal velvet block heels. 

To complete her elegant ensemble, Miss Henson carried a bouquet of flowers, picked from the Easton Hall gardens, comprising Meadow grass, Ox eye daisies, Iris, Rose, Clematis, Mock orange, Scabious, Sweet pea, Astrantia, Martagon lily and Love in a mist.

Her dress – constructed in ivory silk crepe satin and organza – featured a scalloped edge neckline with a delicate bespoke hand appliquéd embroidery comprising of floral and leafy motifs.

It also boasted a sleek silhouette with a bias cut skirt, pleated waistband, gathered sleeves, wide embroidered silk organza cuffs with a scalloped edge repeat motif and button detailing.

The back of the bridal gown featured a dropped waist, key hole back and a detachable two metre silk crepe satin train with a panelled construction.

On the veil, meanwhile, personalised initials and wedding date completed the design in the centre back.

The city of Chester, 14 minutes’ drive from Eaton Hall, the Duke’s ancestral home, has largely come to a standstill to celebrate the couple’s big day – with a host of high-profile attendees, including Prince William and Prince George seated in the pews of the city’s ancient cathedral.

The wedding, which will see 400 guests attend from the cream of high society, will be led by the Dean of Chester, the Very Revd Dr Tim Stratford. 

Meanwhile, the Bishop of Chester, the Right Revd Mark Tanner, will preach and the Revd Canon Rosie Woodall will lead the prayers.

Music will be performed by the Chester Cathedral Choir and will include three local young choristers Grace Crook, Isla Mills and Cassie Lounds, who all attend The Queen’s School in Chester. 

The pair are due to return to their country pile after the ceremony for a private wedding reception; lavish Eaton Estate has been home to the Duke’s family since the 1400s.  

There has been no expense spared for the couple’s big day; the stunning car that the bride arrived in this morning with her father was originally made for W.O. Bentley, the founder of Bentley Motors, in 1930. 

And the flowers, all 100 per cent British, have been carefully chosen from local growers through the Flowers from the Farm network, which champions artisan growers.

Speaking ahead of the wedding, a spokesperson for the Duke and Miss Henson said they were thrilled to wed so close to the Eaton Estate, saying: ‘It means a lot to them to marry in Chester Cathedral, especially given the Grosvenor family’s long and close personal connection to both the Cathedral and the city of Chester. 

The spokesperson added: ‘The Duke and Miss Henson have taken a great deal of care in planning the wedding, putting their own personal stamp on all the arrangements and have made a conscious effort to involve local and regional suppliers in several aspects of the day.’ 

The 7th Duke of Westminster, 33, universally known as ‘Hughie’ to aristocratic friends, is estimated to be worth £10.42billion, making him the richest man under 40 in Britain. 

He is the godfather to Prince William’s son Prince George and Prince Harry’s son Archie. Harry will not be in attendance at today’s nuptials.

Bride Olivia, who went to Marlborough College, like the Princess of Wales and Princess Eugenie, is senior account manager at Belazu, an environmentally friendly company which imports chef-quality, sustainably-sourced ingredients.

Hugh has increasingly started to initiate various eco-friendly practices, including renewable energy projects, green building codes and biodiversity conservation efforts. 

It is likely to be a green event as both Hugh and Olivia are eco minded, and it is understood that flowers used at the ceremony and reception will be pressed and made into sustainable artworks afterwards, rather than simply being thrown away.

Shortly before 11am, coachloads and minibuses of excited guests began arriving and filing into the side door of the Cathedral.

As they rounded the corner, many smiled and waved back to the crowds lining the streets, who were cheering their arrival.

William, dressed like others in morning suit, smiled as he exited a black minibus to head towards the building.

Guests joined the long queue snaking into the Cathedral, waiting to be shown to their seats by Prince William and the other ushers.

Harry, who would have been expected to attend today’s service, has chosen instead to stay in California. 

Photos from this morning show excited royal fans forming a crowd outside the cathedral ahead of the Church of England ceremony starting at midday.