Duke of Westminster wedding: UK’s ‘most eligible bachelor’ ties knot – with a little help from Prince William

Prince William acted as an usher during the ceremony at Chester Cathedral, which saw billionaire aristocrat Hugh Grosvenor, 33, and Olivia Henson, 31, exchange vows.

The Prince of Wales arrived at the cathedral at about 10.30am, leaving a Mercedes and entering through a side entrance unseen by many of the people in the crowds gathered on the street outside.

The wedding was attended by some 400 guests, and had been billed as one of the most prestigious social events of the year.  William’s brother the Duke of Sussex had not been expected to attend by mutual agreement, amid a long-running rift between the princes.

Other notable absences included the Princess of Wales, who has been out of the public eye as she undergoes treatment for cancer, and the King, the groom’s godfather, who had been at D-Day commemorations in France on Thursday.  The Duke of Westminster is godfather to William’s son, Prince George, and also, reportedly, to Harry’s son Prince Archie.

Ten-year-old George was not expected to attend due to it being a school day.

The duke topped the Sunday Times 40 Under 40 Rich List earlier this year, with an estimated fortune of £10.1bn.  He inherited his title and control of the historic Grosvenor Estate aged 25 following the death of his father from a heart attack in 2016 – and his bride now becomes a duchess.

The couple announced their engagement in April last year after being together for two years.  Ms Henson travelled to the cathedral with her father in a vintage Bentley, originally made for the car manufacturer’s founder in 1930.

She wore a dress and veil designed by Emma Victoria Payne.  It featured an embroidery design which incorporated floral motifs and edgings from Ms Henson’s great-great-grandmother’s veil from around 1880.

The bride’s long veil blew in the wind, prompting gasps from the crowd, as she entered the cathedral.  She also wore the Faberge Myrtle Leaf Tiara made for Grosvenor brides to wear on their wedding day, which has been in the family since 1906.  Her bouquet was made of flowers picked from the gardens of the duke’s family home, Eaton Hall.

The wedding was officiated by the Dean of Chester, the Very Revd Dr Tim Stratford.  Chester Cathedral Choir performed during the service, accompanied by musicians from North West England.  The couple were 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.

The service was followed by a private reception.

Seasonal flowers for the ceremony were sourced from local growers and will be made into bouquets after the wedding, to be delivered to local charities, churches and organisations.  Chester’s council had warned the city would be busier than usual on Friday due to the wedding, with a number of road closures in place, and urged people to “rethink journeys”.