The Duke of Westminster has married Olivia Henson in the society wedding of the year.
Billionaire aristocrat Hugh Grosvenor, 33, married Miss Henson, 31, at Chester Cathedral this afternoon. The couple announced their engagement in April last year after two years of being together.
A spokesperson for the Duke and Mrs Henson said they put “their own personal stamp on all the arrangements”, from the flowers to the food.
However, in a major twist, the Duke of Westminster eschewed the traditional English service popular with aristocratic couples. As a result, the service at Chester Cathedral, attended by Prince William and Princess Eugenie, was conducted in a contemporary language rather than 17th-century English.
Most Church of England weddings use the words from Common Worship’s The Marriage Service, which offers a greater variety of readings and prayers. But some couples prefer a ceremony that uses language like “thee” and “thee” instead of “thee” and may use the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.
The duke, Hugh Grosvenor, 33, married Olivia Henson, 31, and welcomed guests from around the world.
Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster and Olivia Henson outside Chester Cathedral after the ceremony on Friday.
The Duke of Westminster photographed at Chester Cathedral for his society wedding of the year to Olivia Henson
Olivia Henson (second right) arrives at her wedding to Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster.
Olivia Henson smiles as she enters Chester Cathedral for her wedding to Hugh Grosvenor, Duke of Westminster.
The Dean of Chester, the Very Reverend Dr Tim Stratford, told MailOnline that the couple were holding a “contemporary” service, rather than using the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, which includes the line that marriage should not be entered into. : ‘lightly, or without sense, to gratify the carnal lusts and appetites of men, like brute beasts that have no understanding.’
The dean, who officiates the wedding, added: “In many ways, this is like any other couple getting married, only on a larger scale, because in some ways they are in the public eye and some of their guests are definitely in the eye.” public”.
“The couple at the center of this want to declare their undying love for each other in the presence of witnesses, family and friends and we are here to provide the stage.”
Additionally, there is also an updated version of the 1662 service, known as Alternative Services: Series One, which was used by the Prince and Princess of Wales for their wedding.
Known universally as ‘Hughie’ to his aristocratic friends, the Duke of Westminster is estimated to be worth £10.42 billion, making him the richest man under 40 in Britain.
Meanwhile, his girlfriend, who grew up in London and Oxfordshire, has worked in the sustainable food and drink industry.
Henson traveled to the cathedral with his father in a vintage Bentley, originally built for the car maker’s founder in the 1930s.
The service was sung by the Chester Cathedral Choir, accompanied by a group of musicians from the north-west of England.
The Bishop of Chester, the Right Reverend Mark Tanner, also preached and prayers were led by the Right Reverend Canon Rosie Woodall.
A 1930 Bentley Motors 8-litre awaits the chauffeur of the Duke of Westminster and Miss Henson from their wedding at Chester Cathedral
Princess Eugenie is among many of the 400 high-profile guests who attended the event.
Prince William, Prince of Wales, before the wedding of the Duke of Westminster and Miss Henson
Seasonal flowers for the ceremony came from local growers and will be made into bouquets after the wedding, which will be given to local charities, churches and organisations.
The couple are said to have chosen the wedding venue for its beauty and a personal connection with the duke, whose family home Eaton Hall is nearby. Following the service, there will be a private reception in Eaton Hall.
The Duke and Mrs Henson’s spokesman added: “This is an incredibly special day for the Duke and Miss Henson and they are looking forward to attending the service.”
‘It means a lot to them to be married at Chester Cathedral, especially given the Grosvenor family’s long and close personal connection with both the Cathedral and the city of Chester.
“The couple have also been touched by the messages of support they have received from across the region and are hugely grateful that people want to share their happiness.”
The spokesperson added: ‘The Duke and Miss Henson have taken great care in planning the wedding, putting their personal stamp on all the preparations and have made a conscious effort to involve local and regional suppliers in various aspects of the day.’
Workers were also seen touching up red telephone boxes in Chester city center ahead of the wedding.
The Duke will pay for free ice cream for the premises of three local companies. Pictured from left to right: Craig Fermor of Diddy Donuts, Valentina Aviotti of Krum Gelato and Stephen Young of Cheshire Farm Ice Cream.
A large security cordon will be erected around the cathedral due to the presence of so many high-profile guests. Pictured: Sniffer dogs in Chester on Thursday
Flowers are delivered and taken to Chester Cathedral on Thursday
Eaton Hall, a faux French chateau set on 10,872 acres of Cheshire (50 acres of which are elaborate formal gardens) is where the couple intend to live after they get married, and it’s the perfect location for a party.
Details about the reception plans are being kept very private, at least for now, but the Duke has announced that the couple will be treating the citizens of Chester to free ice creams, sundaes and sorbets at three independent local cafes so they can join in the celebration. .
Prince William acted as usher for the ceremony, which began at noon on Friday and was believed to have been attended by around 400 guests.
The prince arrived at the cathedral around 10:30 a.m., leaving a Mercedes van with other ushers and entering through a side entrance, invisible to many of the crowds gathered in the street.
His brother, the Duke of Sussex, is not expected to be there after it was mutually agreed that he would not attend.
The wedding takes place in the middle of a long rift between the princes.
The Princess of Wales, who has been out of the spotlight while undergoing cancer treatment, is not expected to attend.
The seventh Duke, Britain’s richest man under forty, worth £10.42 billion, is godfather to Prince Williams’ son Prince George and Prince Harry’s son Archie. Harry won’t attend the wedding.
A wedding reception will be held at the Duke of Westminster’s private residence, Eaton Hall (pictured).
The King, the groom’s best man and the Queen will also not be at the ceremony, having been at the 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 the wedding because it falls on a school day.
The Duke of Westminster became an instant multimillionaire when he inherited his title and control of the historic Grosvenor Estate at age 25, following the death of his father from a heart attack in 2016.
His property company, Grosvenor Group, owns around 300 acres of land in Mayfair and Belgravia, as well as major city center developments such as Liverpool’s One shopping centre.
