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 guestlist.
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 Sussexand 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.
You may also like
Duke of Westminster and Olivia Henson reveal house move ahead of wedding
Special reason why the Duke of Westminster and Olivia Henson are getting married at Chester Cathedral
Who is Olivia Henson, the future Duchess of Westminster?
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.
The couple's ceremony will take place at Chester Cathedral, after which there will be a reception at Eaton Hall.
A spokesperson for the couple said: "The couple have chosen the cathedral for both its beauty and long association with the Grosvenor family, including to the Duke personally."
Earlier this month, the couple visited several charities in Chester funded by the Duke's Westminster Foundation.
Speaking of his upcoming nuptials, Hugh told Town & Country: "I think next time we’re in here [Chester Cathedral] will be slightly more nerve-wracking. But I'm unbelievably excited.
"I also 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. Because I do realise that it's going to be a big thing for the city. It's going to be certainly a huge thing for us, so we're just really grateful for all the help."
