Prince Harry shouldn’t be expected to attend any gatherings of the Royal Family, a leading royal commentator has claimed. Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond asked whether the Duke of Sussex realised that by walking away from royal life he would be alienating himself from “pretty much everyone and everything” he knew in Britain.
She was commenting ahead of the Duke of Westminster‘s wedding ceremony at Chester Cathedral on June 7, with guests including Prince William, who will also reportedly act as an usher.
However, it is understood Prince Harry is not expected to attend Hugh Grosvenor and Olivia Henson’s big day, with some reports saying the Duke and Meghan Markle had turned down their invitation. Others claim the Sussexes weren’t invited to avoid tension between the pair and Harry’s estranged brother, the Prince of Wales.
Ms Bond told OK! magazine: “This will be another pinch point for Harry, another illustration he has now excluded himself from the Royal Family and from most of his UK friends. It must be a grim reality for him.
“You do have to wonder whether he realised that by walking away from his royal life, he was alienating himself from pretty much everyone and everything he had known in the UK.”
She added: “You can’t ask your friends to choose between yourself and your brother – especially when your brother is a future King. It’s very sad.
“It’s very awkward for people, like the Duke of Westminster, who have been very good and close friends with both William and Harry for many years. But, as with divorces, choices have to be made and they are always difficult.”
The royal expert said the wedding will be another “graphic illustration” that Harry‘s life is now elsewhere and Britons shouldn’t expect to see him at any gatherings of the Royal family or their friends. She added: “That time has passed.”
The Duke of Westminster is a godson of King Charles and godfather to the Prince and Princess of Wales’s oldest son, Prince George. He is also said to be godfather to Harry’s five-year-old son Prince Archie.
Grosvenor recently topped The Sunday Times 40 Under 40 Rich List, boasting a fortune of £10.1 billion. He became an instant billionaire when he inherited his title and control of the historic Grosvenor Estate at the age of 25 after the death of his father, Gerald, from a heart attack in 2016.
His property company, Grosvenor Group, owns about 300 acres of land in Mayfair and Belgravia, as well as major city centre developments such as Liverpool’s ONE shopping centre.
The Duke’s engagement was announced by his spokesperson in April. Not a lot is known about Miss Henson, though it is reported she has worked as an account manager at upmarket food brand, Belazu.
It is understood she went to Marlborough College, the same school as Princess Kate, and studied Italian and Hispanic studies at Trinity College, Dublin.
Miss Henson and the Duke of Westminster chose Chester Cathedral for their wedding ceremony due to the county of Cheshire being the Grosvenor family’s ancestral home.
They were engaged at Eaton Hall on the Grosvenors’ country estate in April. A private reception is set to follow the wedding ceremony followed by a more intimate gathering for closer family and friends, according to reports.