Prince William has made his way to Chester Cathedral for the high-profile wedding of his close friend, the Duke of Westminster, noticeably without Kate Middleton.
The Prince of Wales, fresh from attending the D-Day 80th anniversary commemorations in France yesterday, was spotted arriving discreetly at the Cathedral, donned in a morning suit to serve as an usher at the ceremony dubbed the ‘wedding of the summer’. The Duke, whose real name is Hugh Grosvenor, is set to marry Olivia Henson.
William arrived solo for the service, with wife Kate likely to remain at home as she continues her recovery following her cancer diagnosis. It’s believed that he is one of 10 ushers at today’s ceremony, all of whom arrived together in a blacked-out van just after 10.30am and entered through a side entrance.
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The wedding has been branded the “society wedding of the year” and has seen the centre of Chester grind to a halt. The couple are set to then celebrate their new union at the Duke’s Eaton Hall country estate, valued at an eye-watering £10 billion.
(Image: PA)
Crowds started to gather in hopes of catching a glimpse of the wedding party and other illustrious guests, with William’s cousin Princess Eugenie also making an appearance for the nuptials alongside former Vogue editor Violet Henderson-Vestey. The groom made his arrival at the Cathedral with his three best men in a green Land Rover Defender, waving at the large crowds amidst loud cheers.
Natalia Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster and mother of the groom, arrived wearing a pink dress and matching fascinator. She entered the cathedral accompanied by the groom’s three sisters, Lady Tamara Grosvenor, Lady Viola Grosvenor and Lady Edwina Grosvenor, to the delight of the crowds outside, reports the Mirror.
(Image: PA)
The bride arrived wearing a breathtaking gown designed by London-based Emma Victoria Payne, accessorised with the traditional Faberge Myrtle Leaf Tiara worn by Grosvenor brides.
King Charles, who is the groom’s godfather, and Queen Camilla will not attend the celebration, having occupied with D-Day commemorations in France. The Duke of Westminster, who is alleged to be the godfather to both Prince George (William’s son) and reportedly Prince Archie (Harry’s son), is also expected to pass on the event.
Prince George, aged 10, will miss the wedding because of school.
Surprisingly, Prince Harry, a close mate of the groom, decided to abstain from attending the wedding. It’s alleged that the ongoing strain between William and Harry led to a decision to avoid overshadowing the event.
(Image: Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty I)
A previously reliable source told the Sunday Times: “Hugh is one of the very few close friends of William and Harry’s who has maintained strong bonds and a line of communication with both. He wishes they could put their heads together and patch things up, but realises it’s unlikely to happen before the wedding. He wanted to avoid anything overshadowing the day, especially for Olivia, and doesn’t want any awkwardness.”
It appears that Hugh and Harry reached a “civilised understanding”, which cleared the path for William to attend – and to fulfill his duty as an usher at the ceremony.
(Image: Getty Images)
The Duke of Westminster, who topped The Sunday Times 40 Under 40 Rich List earlier this year with a whopping £10.1billion fortune, became an overnight billionaire at the tender age of 25 when he inherited his title and control of the historic Grosvenor Estate following his father’s sudden death in 2016.
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