Prince Harry will not be invited to the star-studded wedding of one of his oldest friends, it’s been revealed.
Next summer, Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster, will wed Olivia Henson in what is being considered one of the society events of the year.
Hugh Grosvenor is one of Britain’s richest men and has remained close with both brothers despite their long-running feud.
However, as things worsen between the family – spurred by claims in a new royal book by Omid Scobie which levelled new accusations against the likes of King Charles, Prince William and Kate Middleton – it seems the Duke of Westminster has had to draw a line in the sand.
As it’s suggested Harry is feeling homesick and Meghan will throw a “British Christmas” to ease his woes this year, this latest blow will surely be upsetting to the Duke of Sussex.
Harry and Hugh were said to be extremely close, with The Times suggesting that Hugh was chosen to be the godfather to Harry and Meghan’s first child, Prince Archie. He’s also Prince George’s godparent, and he’s thought to be the only person chosen by both warring brothers for this particular honour.
Harry being missed off the guest list could be a sign that those close to the royals are being forced to take sides as the tensions escalate.
It’s understood that King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton have all been invited to the wedding – and the Prince of Wales is likely to be a contender for Best Man.
A friend of William and Harry’s told The Times, "It’s incredibly sad it has come to this. Hugh is 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 realises 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."
Meghan may be less disappointed than her husband to miss out on an invite to the wedding, expected to be held at Eaton Hall at the heart of Hugh’s 11,000-acre estate in Cheshire.
The Duchess of Sussex reportedly never felt at home in the UK, the author of Endgame wrote in his headline-making tell-all.
Omid Scobie wrote that Meghan was happy to have left England, and isn’t in a rush to return, keen to avoid the “soap opera.” In fact, Omid went as far as suggesting that Meghan “never wants to set foot again in England” again.
Her last notable high-profile return was to attend the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. She didn’t join Prince Harry when he travelled back for the Coronation of King Charles in May 2023.
