Prince William serves as Duke of Westminster usher at Chester Cathedral wedding
The Prince of Wales has attended the wedding of his close friend the Duke of Westminster - but his brother Prince Harry has missed the occasion.
Billionaire aristocrat Hugh Grosvenor, 33, married Olivia Henson, 31, at Chester Cathedral on Friday, 7 June.
William was an usher for the ceremony, which started at midday, with around 400 guests expected to attend.
The prince arrived at the cathedral at about 10.30am, leaving a Mercedes van along with fellow ushers and entering through a side entrance unseen by many of the crowds gathered on the street outside.
The groom arrived shortly after, at around 11.15, shaking hands with the Dean before disappearing inside.
The Duke of Sussex is not believed to be attending following a mutual decision amid a long-running rift between the princes.
The Princess of Wales, who has been out of the spotlight as she undergoes treatment for cancer, is also not expected to attend.
The Duke of Westminster is godfather to William’s son, Prince George, and also, reportedly, to Harry’s son Prince Archie.
The King, the groom’s godfather, and Queen are not due to be at the ceremony either, having been at D-Day commemorations in France on Thursday, 6 June.
Ms Henson will travel to the cathedral with her father in a vintage Bentley, originally made for the car manufacturer’s founder in 1930.
The wedding will be officiated by the Dean of Chester, the Very Revd Dr Tim Stratford.
The service will be sung by the Chester Cathedral Choir, accompanied by a group of musicians from North West England.
The Bishop of Chester, the Right Revd Mark Tanner, will preach and prayers will be led by the Revd Canon Rosie Woodall.
The couple are said to have chosen the wedding venue for its beauty and because of the personal connection to the Duke, whose family home Eaton Hall is nearby.
A spokesperson for the duke and Ms Henson said: “This is an incredibly special day for the Duke and Miss Henson and they are very much looking forward to the service.
“It means a lot to them to marry in Chester Cathedral, especially given the Grosvenor family’s long and close personal connection to both the Cathedral and the city of Chester.
“The couple have also been moved by the messages of support they have received from around the region and are hugely grateful that people want to share in their happiness.”
Visitors to Chester are being treated to free ice cream or other treats such as donuts, gelato and arctic roll, courtesy of the Duke of Westminster and Olivia Henson.
As part of local celebrations for their wedding, The Duke Hugh Grosvenor and his bride Olivia Henson are supporting three independent city-centre businesses by subsidising free ice-cream, gelato and sorbet for people who are visiting the city centre.
From 10am and then throughout the day people will be able to get a free ice cream or gelato from one of the established city centre ice cream shops.
The spokesperson added: “The Duke and Miss Henson have taken a great deal of care in planning the wedding, putting their own personal stamp on all the arrangements and have made a conscious effort to involve local and regional suppliers in several aspects of the day.”
William and Harry were both ushers at the wedding of his sister Lady Tamara Grosvenor at the cathedral in 2004.
Following the service, there will be a private reception at Eaton Hall.
The Duke of Westminster became an instant billionaire when he inherited his title and control of the historic Grosvenor Estate aged 25, following the death of his father in 2016.
His property company, Grosvenor Group, owns 300 acres of land in Mayfair and Belgravia, as well as major city centre developments such as Liverpool’s ONE shopping centre.
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