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Prince William set to play key role at Duke of Westminster’s wedding that Princess Kate will likely skip – report
The Prince of Wales is reportedly set to take on the role of usher next month at the wedding of his friend, the Duke of Westminster.
Hugh Grosvenor and his fiancée Olivia Henson are set to tie the knot at Chester Cathedral on 7 June. Their big day is expected to be one of the biggest society weddings of the year, with a star-studded guest list.
The Duke, 33, shares a close bond with Prince William and Princess Kate and attended Prince George’s christening at the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace after being named as one of his godparents. Meanwhile, King Charles is one of Hugh’s godparents.
While William is poised to take on a huge role, according to The Sunday Times, Princess Kate is not expected to be in attendance as she continues cancer treatment.
It’s understood that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and King Charles will also miss out on Hugh and Olivia’s big day. Like William, Harry has long shared a close bond with Hugh who is also a godfather to Prince Archie, five.
The 7th Duke of Westminster has often been referred to as ‘the most eligible man in Britain’ owing to his aristocracy, wealth and close friendships with both Princes William and Harry.
The Duke, or ‘Hughie’ as he is known to his friends, inherited the title and seat at Eaton Hall from his father in 2016 as well as 140,000 acres of land in Oxfordshire, Cheshire, Lancashire and Scotland, and 300 acres in Mayfair and Belgravia.
He is thought to be worth an estimated £9.878 billion and is also the Chair of the Westminster Foundation, focused on helping vulnerable young children. Meanwhile, Olivia is a senior account manager at Belazu, a B-Corp certified food company in London.
King Charles’s godson met Olivia back in 2021 through mutual friends, with the couple celebrating their engagement two years later in April 2023.