Harry to miss Duke of Westminster’s wedding while William attends as usher

The Duke of Sussex will not attend the wedding of his close friend, the Duke of Westminster, next month, despite the groom being the godfather of his son, Archie.

Hugh Grosvenor, 33, will marry 31-year-old Olivia Henson at Chester Cathedral on 7 June.

Considered one of Britain’s richest men, Grosvenor will welcome the Prince of Wales as part of the groom’s party.

However, according to recent reports, Prince Harry will not be attending the ceremony in a bid to avoid royal tensions overshadowing the day.

Grosvenor is a godfather to Harry’s first-born child, Archie, who turned five earlier this month. As a result, Harry’s absence from the 400-strong guestlist is notable.

The King, who is Grosvenor’s godfather, will also not attend the wedding as continues his cancer treatment.

The day before the wedding, the King will be in France with the Queen and Prince William to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.

Elsewhere, the Princess of Wales is not expected to attend the wedding either, as she continues to undergo cancer treatment following her health announcement in March.

According to The Times, Grosvenor has an inherited fortune of more than £10bn, with a property portfolio of 140,000 acres in Oxfordshire, Cheshire, Lancashire and Scotland as well as 300 acres in Mayfair and Belgravia.

Grosvenor, known as “Hughie” to his friends, inherited the portfolio from his father, the late Duke, who died of a heart attack in 2016, aged 64.

The duke and his soon-to-be wife, Henson, were introduced by mutual friends in 2021. They have insisted on a “strictly no-gifts policy” for their guests.

The Telegraph reports that sustainability will be a theme at the Grosvenor wedding, with food, flowers and products being sourced locally.

After the celebrations, the flowers will be donated to local charities and organisations.

Earlier this month, Harry made a return to the UK to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games but he did not meet his father due to reported scheduling conflicts.

Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex recently visited Nigeria on a three-day tour for further celebrations of the sporting event, which honours wounded and injured military veterans.