Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Left Off Guest List for Longtime Friend’s Wedding Over Royal Rift: Report 

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will not be going to the UK in June for the society wedding of the year.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly been left off the guest list for the wedding of Hugh Grosvenor, Duke of Westminster, and Olivia Henson, 32 — despite Grosvenor being close to Harry, 39, and his estranged brother Prince William, 41. The wedding is due to take place on June 7 at Chester Cathedral in northwest England.

A spokesperson for Grosvenor — who is one of Britain’s richest men — tells PEOPLE, “We are not in a position to comment on the guest list.”

According to the Sunday Times, Kate Middleton and William, as well as King Charles and Queen Camilla, will be at the service, but Grosvenor, 30 — who is the best man to William and Kate’s son Prince George, 10 — has reluctantly made the decision not to invite the Duke and Duchess of Sussex because he reportedly he wants to avoid a family conflict amid the rift between the royal brothers.

Grosvenor’s ties to the royal family run deep. He is the godfather of Charles (75), and his mother is the godmother of Prince William. He is also one of Prince Archie’s godfathers, Sunday Times reports.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend the December 6, 2022 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala at the New York Hilton on December 6, 2022 in New York City.

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In 2004, William and Harry were ushers at the wedding of Grosvenor’s sister, Lady Tamara Grosvenor, to Edward van Cutsem, a British banker.

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An unnamed friend of both princes is quoted in The Sunday Times this weekend like saying: “It’s incredibly sad that it has come to this. Hugh is one of the few close friends of William and Harry who has maintained strong ties and communication with both of them. He wishes they could put their heads together and patch things up, but he realizes that probably won’t happen before the wedding. He wanted to avoid anything that would overshadow the day, especially for Olivia and he doesn’t want any inconvenience.”

Grosvenor became the Duke of Westminster following the death of his father Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor in 2016. Hugh succeeded him and became the seventh Duke of Westminster. At the time of his death, the late Duke had an estimated net worth of $12.15 billion, making him the third richest British citizen at the time, according to the Sunday Times Rich List 2016. Gerald also owned several acres of property near Buckingham Palace.

Hugh Grosvenor, Duke of Westminster attends the wedding of Charlie van Straubenzee and Daisy Jenks at St Mary the Virgin Church on August 4, 2018 in Frensham, England.

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News of the impending nuptials came in April after Grosvenor proposed to his girlfriend of two years, Olivia Henson, at the family’s Eaton Hall estate in Cheshire, northern England.

“Members of both their families are absolutely thrilled with the news,” the press release announcing the engagement said at the time.

Britain’s Queen Camilla, Britain’s King Charles III, Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales and Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales pose for a photo after watching the flight of the British Royal Air Force (RAF) aerobatic team, “Red Arrows”, from the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in Edinburgh on 5 July 2023.

YUI MOK/POOL/AFP via Getty

Hugh is chairman of the Grosvenor Group, an investment and property group that manages rural properties and supports charitable initiatives, as well as chairman of the Westminster Foundation, which works closely with groups that support families and schools in their local communities and provide grants for youth work programs for at-risk youth. children.

During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, his philanthropic efforts made headlines when, through his foundation, he made $15 million available to NHS Charities Together.

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Source: HIS Education