The Duke of Sussex will not be attending the wedding of his close friend, the Duke of Westminster, next month - despite the groom being the godfather of his son, Archie. Hugh Grosvenor, all of 33 years old, is set to marry 31-year-old Olivia Henson at the stately Chester Cathedral on June 7th. As one of Britain's wealthiest individuals, Grosvenor will have the honor of welcoming the Prince of Wales as part of the groom's party.
However, recent reports indicate that Prince Harry will be conspicuously absent from the 400-strong guest list. This is apparently a strategic move to avoid any royal tensions overshadowing the joyous occasion. Grosvenor is a godfather to Harry's firstborn child, Archie, who recently celebrated his 5th birthday. So Harry's absence from the festivities is undoubtedly notable. The King, who is Grosvenor's own godfather, also won't be in attendance as he continues treatment for cancer.
In fact, the day before the wedding, the King will be in France with the Queen and Prince William, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy. The Princess of Wales is not expected to attend either, as she too undergoes cancer treatment following her health announcement in March.
The groom-to-be, affectionately known as "Hughie" to his inner circle, has an inherited fortune exceeding £10 billion. This staggering wealth comes with a sprawling property portfolio of 140,000 acres across Oxfordshire, Cheshire, Lancashire and Scotland - plus another 300 acres in the prestigious neighborhoods of Mayfair and Belgravia.
Grosvenor inherited this vast empire from his late father, the previous Duke, who passed away from a heart attack in 2016 at the age of 64. Hughie and his bride-to-be, Henson, were introduced by mutual friends back in 2021. And they've insisted on a "strictly no-gifts policy" for their wedding guests.
Sustainability will apparently be a central theme of this grand affair, with the food, flowers and products all sourced locally. And after the celebrations conclude, the flowers will be donated to local charities and organizations.
Earlier this month, Harry did make a return to the UK to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. However, he did not end up meeting his father due to reported scheduling conflicts. Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, had also recently visited Nigeria on a three-day tour for further Invictus events.
