Prince William has arrived at the society wedding of his close friend the Duke of Westminster, who had until now been dubbed “Britain’s most eligible bachelor”.
The heir to the throne is acting as an usher at the ceremony at Chester Cathedral, which will see billionaire aristocrat Hugh Grosvenor, 33, and Olivia Henson, 31, tie the knot.
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.
It is expected the wedding will be attended by some 400 guests.
The occasion has been billed as one of the most prestigious social events of the year.
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William’s brother the Duke of Sussex is not expected to attend by mutual agreement, amid a long-running rift between the princes.
Other notable absences include 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 is not expected to attend due to it being a school day.
The bride’s dress and veil were designed by Emma Victoria Payne. Pic: PA
A gust of wind caught the bride’s long veil prompting gasps among the crowd. Pic: PA
The duke topped 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.
His bride will become a duchess on their marriage.
The couple announced their engagement in April last year after being together for two years.
Crowds gathered outside to catch a glimpse of wedding-goers. Pic: PA
Ms Henson arrived at the cathedral wearing 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.
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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 musicians from North West England.
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.
The service will be 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 has 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 into the city centre” on the day.
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