All eyes are on Hugh Grosvenor, the seventh Duke of Westminster as he prepares to wed his sweetheart Olivia Henson this week.
The most-anticipated society wedding of the year, in which the Prince of Wales is usher, will be held at Chester Cathedral, followed by a glittering reception at the Grosvenor family's ancestral seat, Eaton Hall.
Hugh, known as 'Hughie' to his closest friends, is one of Britain's wealthiest landowners after inheriting his late father's £10 billion estate aged 25.
It is therefore no surprise that the Grosvenor wedding is likely to be a no-expenses spared occasion, with the Duke and his soon-to-be duch*ess of Westminster set to tie the knot in the presence of 400 people, followed by a more intimate next-day affair.
Despite the family's high-profile status, romance isn't always something they publicise. Hugh's sisters Lady Viola Grosvenor and Lady Edwina Grosvenor both opted to wed in secret, with nobody but their closest friends and family present.
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In light of the most talked about wedding of 2024, HELLO! revisits the late sixth Duke of Westminster's children's glorious nuptials…
Lady Tamara van Custem's 'royal' wedding, 2004
© Tim Graham
Lady Tamara, the eldest of Hugh's sisters, brought Chesire to a near-standstill when she graced the steps of Chester Cathedral on the arm of her new husband, Edward van Cutsem on 6 November 2004.
© Max Mumby/Indigo
In what was dubbed "Chesire's royal wedding" at the time, thousands of well-wishers lined the narrow streets to try to catch a glimpse of the newlyweds - and their royal guests - which included Prince William, Prince Harry, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.
© Getty
Lady Tamara, who retained her title but took her husband's surname, was a radiant bride in an elegant ivory silk georgette gown by Bruce Oldfield, the sartorial mastermind behind Queen Camilla's historic Coronation gown.
© Tim Graham
The bride's exquisite wedding dress was embroidered with rows of delicate antique silk rosebuds and featured a regal two-metre-long train. Lady Tiara was every inch society's diamond at the time as she glittered in a Carl Faberge tiara.
The late Duke of Westminster was believed to have given his daughter a wedding gift of £10 million.
Lady Edwina Grosvenor's elopement, 2010
© Getty
When Hugh's second eldest sister Edwina married her fiancé Dan Snow after just a year of dating, they did so in private, without so much as a whisper about their nuptials until after they had said 'I do'.
"Neither of us has ever wanted a big white wedding," the couple said, per the Daily Mail.
"We are delighted we have been free to plan a simple and relaxed wedding exactly as we wished, with our families around us."
The couple chose to have a low-key ceremony at Bishop’s Lodge in Woolton, Liverpool, attended only by family members.
Lady Viola Grosvenor's wedding, 2022
© Getty
The spotlight didn't tempt Lady Viola Grosvenor, Hugh's younger sister, who chose to wed her Dragoon Guards officer husband, Angus Roberts, in secret.
In 2022, the Daily Mail Eden Confidential reported that the couple wed in a private UK ceremony "unknown to anyone outside her tight circle of family and friends", which was followed by a second, larger celebration in Africa.
© Getty
Lady Viola opted for quiet, unspoiled and secluded luxury for her second wedding destination, an option made possible thanks to her parents-in-law, who happen to be the owners of Manda Bay - a small privately owned boutique lodge located on the northern tip of Manda Island in the Lamu archipelago on Kenya's coast.
"It’s described as the ultimate 'no shoes, no news' experience", a source told the Daily Mail.
WESTMINSTER WEDDING: AT A GLANCE
Meet the bride
- Miss Olivia Henson, 31, was educated at Marlborough College, whose alumni include Kate and Pippa Middleton.
- She gained a a degree from Trinity in Ireland.
- Olivia is now Senior Account Manager at Belazu, a B-corp ingredient company.
The wedding venue
- The Duke and future duch*ess of Westminster will tie the knot at the breathtaking Chester Cathedral
- The space is where his late father's memorial was held, and is set in the city where he grew up.
- Olivia revealed to Town & Country that Chester is "the place where we will live, where we will be building our lives together."
The wedding guests
- The Grosvenors are a family with a long-standing connection to the royal family; Hugh is a lifelong friend of Princes William and Harry.
- The Prince of Wales has been confirmed to be one of the Duke's ushers.
Which royal guests declined their invitation?
- Despite having a close relationship with the Duke, Prince Harry and Meghan reportedly declined their invitation.
- It has yet not been confirmed if King Charles, who is Hugh's godfather, will attend with Queen Camilla.
- The Princess of Wales is not expected to attend, amid her ongoing break from the spotlight as she undergoes treatmet for cancer.
- It is likely Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will not be in attendance.
