Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly “stung” by the revelation they haven’t been invited to the wedding of one of the Prince’s oldest pals.
Hugh Grosevenor, the Duke of Westminster, is set to tie the knot with Olivia Henson in 2024, in a star-studded ceremony that will see the Prince and Princess of Wales, King Charles and Queen Camilla attending the nuptials on June 7 at Chester Cathedral. However, there are two big names missing from the list of royal attendees.
Despite the Duke and Duchess of Sussex making Hugh godfather to their firstborn son Prince Archie, they have been left off the guest list for the wedding next year amid the ongoing drama surrounding the Royal Family. Tensions were at boiling point when Harry and Meghan stepped down from senior roles in 2020, and their relationship with royals including William and Charles have been frosty.
Things took a turn for the worse earlier this year with the release of Harry’s explosive memoir Spare, which detailed his deteriorating relationship with his older brother, including a physical altercation between the pair after a row about Meghan.
Now, it seems that they are deemed too risky to invite to the wedding, for fear of overshadowing the bride on her big day, and Hugh has made the difficult decision to not invite Harry, who he has known for years.
Royal experts have suggested that the shocking snub is a sign that Harry could be excluded from the royal circles he once grew up in, and some mutual friends may be choosing who they want to side with as the row between the warring royals rumbles on.
“They don’t like it when people criticise their way of life in public, which is exactly what Harry and Meghan have been doing for the last few years. And given who he is, Hugh’s loyalty would always have to be to the current King and the future King,” a family insider revealed to The Telegraph.
Hugh is the godson of King Charles, and he is also godfather to William and Kate’s firstborn son, George, and the 32-year-old billionaire was also part of the King’s procession at the Coronation earlier this year, cementing his place within the exclusive royal circle.
The Duke of Westminster reportedly met Olivia through friends, and it is highly likely that all of the senior royals, including Prince William and King Charles, will be attending. The source also revealed that Meghan, who is outspoken on several issues regarding equality, would “disapprove” of the speeches on the big day, which will be “dominated by men”.