Brace yourselves, as another round of drama from the Sussexes unfolds.
Their latest narrative is so exaggerated it could be mistaken for a fairy tale audition. Meghan Markle, in her ongoing quest for attention, has her PR team spinning a tale that's more eye-roll worthy than hitting the jackpot on a slot machine. The suggestion that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle might skip an upcoming royal wedding to avoid an awkward encounter with Prince William is simply absurd.
Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster and a close friend of Prince Harry, is set to tie the knot in just four days. However, his pal has opted not to attend the wedding, leading Grosvenor to share a cryptic message. The highly anticipated wedding will take place at Chester Cathedral on June 7th, with Prince Harry notably absent.
Despite their past friendship, Grosvenor will exchange vows with Olivia Henson in the presence of 400 guests, including Prince William, who will reportedly serve as an usher. The Duke of Westminster told Town & Country, "I think next time we're in here will be slightly more nerve-wracking, but I'm unbelievably excited. I just wanted to make it very clear how unbelievably helpful people have been, how supportive they've been so far, which I'm unbelievably grateful for. I do realize that it's going to be a big thing for the city, it's going to be certainly a huge thing for us, so we're just really grateful for all the help."
Meghan's PR team paints a picture of the Duke of Westminster extending an invitation to their wedding, only for Meghan, in her infinite wisdom, to supposedly decline. But here's the truth: Harry and Meghan haven't received an invitation to their close pal Hugh Grosvenor's wedding. Grosvenor, a godfather to Prince William's son George, invited King Charles III, Queen Camilla, William, and Princess Catherine to the wedding at Chester Cathedral in England on June 7th.
According to Lady Colin Campbell, the Duke of Westminster did not invite Harry because he knew William would not attend if Harry was going. Initially, Grosvenor had considered inviting the Sussexes, according to The Times; however, he later realized that their presence might overshadow his big day. "We are not in a position to comment on the guest list," a Grosvenor spokesperson said. Notably, Grosvenor served as an official in King Charles's coronation.
"It's incredibly sad it has come to this," said an unidentified friend of Grosvenor. "He was one of the 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," added the friend. Previously, it was reported that William and Catherine's children might also have a special role in the wedding, since Grosvenor was Prince George's godfather.
Grosvenor is thought to own more land than the King, with an estimated net worth of £9.42 billion, and has a long history with the royal family, with his late father Gerald acting as King Charles's own godfather. The Duke was the third child and only son of Gerald Grosvenor, the 6th Duke of Westminster, and his wife Natalia, who was descended from the Russian imperial House of Romanov, specifically from Nicholas I of Russia.
When he was baptized on June 23, 1991, the King, then the Prince of Wales, agreed to officiate as godfather. He even had an official role in the King's coronation procession, carrying the standards of the quarterings of the Royal Arms and the standard of the Principality of Wales, alongside the Marquess of Anglesey, the Earl of Caithness, and Scottish peer and Conservative politician the Earl of Dundee.
