The bride and groom were the ones who picked out the guests for their wedding, and the ever-controversial Meghan Markle was persona non grata. It's not hard to understand why she wouldn't be wanted at a wedding; she might try to steal the spotlight from the bride. As for the Duke of Sussex, he won't 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, a 33-year-old billionaire, is set to tie the knot with Olivia Hensen, 31, at the grand Chester Cathedral on June 7th.
As one of Britain's wealthiest individuals, 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 any royal tensions overshadowing the joyous occasion. Grosvenor is a godfather to Harry's firstborn child, 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, won't be attending as he continues his cancer treatment. 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 also not expected to attend as she undergoes cancer treatment following her health announcement in March.
The groom-to-be, affectionately known as Hugh to his inner circle, inherited a fortune exceeding 10 billion pounds, along with a sprawling property portfolio of 140,000 acres across various regions. 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.
Hugh and Olivia were introduced by mutual friends back in 2021 and have insisted on a strictly no-gifts policy for their wedding guests. Sustainability will apparently be a central theme of the grand affair, with all food, flowers, and products sourced locally. After the celebrations conclude, the flowers will be donated to local charities and organizations.
Earlier this month, Harry did return to the UK to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, but he did not end up meeting his father due to reported scheduling conflicts. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, had also recently visited Nigeria on a 3-day tour for further Invictus events.
