Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Not Invited To Friend's Wedding

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been reportedly left off the guest list for the wedding of Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster and Olivia Henson, despite Grosvenor being close to both Harry, and Prince William. 

The wedding is set to take place on June 7th, 2024, at Chester Cathedral, in northwest England. 

A spokesperson for Grosvenor says, “We are not in a position to comment on the guest list.”

It's been reported Kate Middleton and William, as well as King Charles and Queen Camilla will be at the service, but Grosvenor, has reluctantly made the decision not to invite Harry and Meghan, because he reportedly wants to avoid a family clash.

His ties to the royal family are deep. He is the godson of Charles, and his mother is godmother to Prince William. He is also one of Prince Archie's godparents.

In 2004, William and Harry were ushers at Grosvenor's sister, Lady Tamara Grosvenor wedding to Edward van Cutsem.

An unnamed friend to both princes said, "“It’s incredibly sad it has come to this. Hugh is one of very few close friends of William and Harry’s who has maintained strong bonds and a line of communication with both. He wishes they could put their heads together and patch things up, but realizes it’s unlikely to happen before the wedding. He wanted to avoid anything overshadowing the day, especially for Olivia and doesn’t want any awkwardness.”

Grosvenor became the Duke of Westminster after the death of his father Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor in 2016. Hugh became the seventh Duke of Westminster. 

At the time of his death, the late Duke had an estimated net worth of $12.15 billion, making him the third-richest British citizen at the time. He also owned several acres of property near Buckingham Palace.

The wedding was announced in April after Grosvenor proposed to his girlfriend of two years, Olivia Henson, at his family's estate.

"Members of both their families are absolutely delighted with the news.

Hugh is chair of the Grosvenor Group, an investment and real estate group that manages rural estates and supports charitable initiatives.

He is also chair of the Westminster Foundation, which works closely with groups that support families and schools within their local communities, providing grants for youth outreach programs for at-risk children.

During COVID, his philanthropic efforts made headlines when he made $15 million available to NHS Charities Together, through his foundation.