It was the bride and groom who chose the guests for their wedding, and the always controversial Meghan Markle was persona non grata. It’s not hard to understand why she wouldn’t be sought after at a wedding; she might try to steal the spotlight from the bride. As for the Duke of Sussex, he will not attend the wedding of his close friend, the Duke of Westminster, next month, although the groom is the godfather of his son, Archie. Hugh Grosvenor, a 33-year-old billionaire, is set to marry Olivia Hensen, 31, at Chester Grand Cathedral on June 7.
As one of Britain’s richest people, Grosvenor will have the honor of hosting the Prince of Wales as part of the groom’s party. However, recent reports suggest that Prince Harry will be noticeably absent from the 400-strong guest list, apparently to avoid royal tensions overshadowing the joyous occasion. Grosvenor is godfather to Harry’s firstborn, Archie, who recently celebrated his fifth birthday, making Harry’s absence from the festivities all the more notable.
Even the king, who is Grosvenor’s own godfather, will not be present as he continues his cancer treatment. Indeed, the day before the wedding, the king will be in France with the queen and Prince William, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the landing in Normandy. The Princess of Wales is also not expected to attend as she is undergoing treatment for cancer following her health announcement in March.
The groom-to-be, affectionately known as Hugh by those around him, inherited a fortune in excess of £10 billion, as well as a vast property portfolio of 140,000 acres spread across various regions. Grosvenor inherited this vast empire from his late father, the former Duke, who died of a heart attack in 2016 at the age of 64.
Hugh and Olivia were introduced through mutual friends in 2021 and insisted on a strictly no-gifts policy for their wedding guests. Sustainability will apparently be a central theme of this grand affair, with all the food, flowers and produce locally sourced. Once the celebrations are over, the flowers will be donated to local charities and organizations.
Earlier this month, Harry returned to the UK to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, but he did not ultimately meet his father due to reported scheduling conflicts. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, had also recently visited Nigeria for a three-day tour for other Invictus events.
