Despite being a close friend and a godfather to his son Prince Archie, the Duke of Westminster did not have Prince Harry at his wedding today amid his bitter rift with brother Prince William
When the Duke of Westminster’s family and friends packed into Chester Cathedral to see him marry today there was one notable absence – Prince Harry.
The Duke, also known as Hugh Grosvenor, has been a close pal with Harry for many years and he attended his raucous 21st birthday party back in 2012. Their friendship runs so deep that when Harry’s son Prince Archie was born in 2019, Hugh was given a prestigious role as godfather. However, the groom, who is marrying his long-term love, Olivia Henson, is in a unique and unenviable position – not only is he close to Harry, but another of his pals is Prince William.
And with the two royal brothers embroiled in a bitter rift with relations said to be at rock bottom, Harry and wife Meghan Markle appear to have made the decision to stay away from the nuptials to not let the feud overshadow his pal’s big day. According to The Times, Harry was invited to Hugh’s wedding, but then over a phone call with the groom agreed to stay away in what is described as a “civilised understanding”. This move in turn cleared the way for William to perform his job as usher at the ceremony.
Last month, the Sunday Times also reported that Hugh wanted both princes at the wedding but came to an agreement with Harry. A source told the publication: “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.”
The Duke’s friendship with William and Harry stems from the fact King Charles was also a close friend of Hugh’s father, the previous Duke of Westminster, Gerald Grosvenor. Hugh became the 7th Duke of Westminster when his father sadly died from a heart attack at the age of 64 in 2016.
At the time of his succession, he inherited an estimated wealth of £9billion and gained several new estates. He became the head of The Grosvenor Group, which means he owns several huge areas of London, as well as land and over 1,500 buildings all across the world. In London, the group owns Park Lane, half of Mayfair and 300 acres of Belgravia.
Last month, he topped The Sunday Times 40 Under 40 Rich List, boasting a fortune of £10.1 billion. He also made rare remarks about his marriage as he visited Chester Cathedral – his wedding day venue. And he publicly spoke about those who have ‘supported’ him in the build-up to the big day.
“I think next time we’re in here will be slightly more nerve-wracking. But I’m unbelievably excited,” he told Town & Country. “I just wanted to make it very clear how unbelievably helpful people have been, how supportive they’ve been so far which I’m unbelievably grateful for.”
