Ending reign as Britain most eligible bachelor

The Duke of Westminster will lose his unofficial title, “Britain’s most eligible bachelor,” as he marries Olivia Henson today.

Hugh Grosvenor, 33, who ranked 14th on the 2024 Sunday Times Rich List with an estimated fortune of £10.1bn, will make Miss Henson a duchess when he marries her at Chester Cathedral.

The largely private couple only made their first public appearance together last month, but their wedding is being billed as one of the most prestigious social events of the year.

One of the people who was there during that public appearance also went to school with the duke and shared fond memories of a particular trip that ended the way any child would love.

Who is the future Duchess of Westminster?

The 31-year-old bride-to-be had been with the duke for two years when the pair announced their engagement in April 2023.

Much like her fiance, Miss Henson largely stays out of the public eye. What we do know is that she’s a senior accounts manager at Belazu, an ethical food company based in London, and she was introduced to the duke through mutual friends.

She is widely reported to have studied at Marlborough College, the same as the Princess of Wales and Pippa Middleton.

‘Britain’s most eligible bachelor’

The duke became an instant billionaire 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.

As part of the estimated £10bn estate, the duke, previously known by his honorary title Earl Grosvenor, also inherited Eaton Hall in Cheshire, home to the Grosvenor family since the 15th century.

It’s where his notably casual engagement photo with Miss Henson was taken last year.

The duke, a former student of countryside management at Newcastle University, is one of four children. He has two older sisters, Lady Tamara and Lady Edwina, and one younger sister, Lady Viola.

He inherited his father’s fortune despite not being the eldest of them, as legitimate male heirs take precedence over their older sisters when it comes to inheriting an estate.

The property company he inherited, the Grosvenor Group, owns about 300 acres of land in Mayfair and Belgravia in central London, as well as major city centre developments such as Liverpool’s ONE shopping centre and properties in the US and Canada.

The billionaire, who was widely dubbed Britain’s most eligible bachelor after inheriting the fortune, is chair of both the Grosvenor Trustees and the Westminster Foundation, which represents his and the Grosvenor Group’s charitable interests.

When he does occasionally make headlines, it’s usually down to his charitable role. Such was the case in 2020, when he donated millions to the national effort against COVID.

‘You can feel the positive energy coming from them’

It can be difficult for the public to get to know a couple like the duke and Miss Henson who like to stay out of the limelight.

They made a rare public outing last month when they attended a parent-toddler music programme at Chester Cathedral, where they’ll soon marry.

It was a chance for them to see one of the many charitable programmes for young people they support through the Duke’s Westminster Foundation.

Emma Thomas, a development artist at Cheshire Dance, which runs the programme, not only met the couple on their visit but also went to primary school with Hugh Grosvenor.

Ms. Thomas said they had a very “relaxed” and “approachable” quality to them on their visit, adding, “They seemed very comfortable together, and you could feel the really positive energy coming from them.”

She said the duke was “so enthusiastic about bringing opportunities for young people” and that it’s “wonderful to hear him talk so genuinely and passionately about that work”.

“The duke was absolutely wonderful” with the children there, she added. “So approachable, so engaging. I think it could be very easy to not be like that.

“But he was wonderful and he gave the kids a really great experience. I think they were very nervous to meet him, and he made it feel very relaxed.”

She added that Miss Henson was “asking lots of questions” and “really valuing the voices of the children.”

A good end to a good day

Ms. Thomas also reminisced with the dukes about their time attending Eccleston C of E Primary School together.

She was a few years older but saw a fair amount of the duke because he and her younger brother were friends.

She recalls a birthday party they both went to when they were about six or seven, where they had a tour of Liverpool’s Anfield stadium.

‘He’s quite a calm kid, but he loves Liverpool so much. Enthusiasm!”

She said she fondly recalls going to McDonald’s with the duke after visiting the stadium.

Wedding of the year?

Despite keeping a low profile, the expected 400-guest wedding won’t be the first lavish event the duke has thrown.

His 21st birthday party for 800 guests at Eaton Hall in 2012 was reported to have cost £5 million.

Comedian Michael McIntyre and hip-hop duo Rizzle Kicks provided the entertainment, and Prince Harry was among the guests for the “black tie and neon” event.

As for his wedding plans, the duke told Town & Country Magazine during his visit to Chester Cathedral: “I think next time we’re here it will be slightly more nerve-wracking.”

He added that he was “unbelievably excited.”.

“I also just wanted to make it very clear how unbelievably helpful people have been and how supportive they’ve been so far, which I’m unbelievably grateful for,” he told the publication.

“Because I do realise that it’s going to be a big thing for the city. It’s certainly going to be a huge thing for us, so we’re just really grateful for all the help.”

On holding the wedding in Chester, Miss Henson added, “It’s obviously a place where we will live, where we’ll be building our lives together.”

The pair currently live in London and are “slowly transitioning” to Chester, where they plan to put “roots down,” she added, saying it was a “really easy decision” to have the wedding there.

Shortly after their engagement announcement last year, a spokesperson for the couple said: “The couple have chosen the cathedral for both its beauty and long association with the Grosvenor family, including with the duke personally.

“Cheshire is the Grosvenor family’s ancestral home, and as Miss Henson’s connection to the region continues to grow, they are keen to plan their wedding there.”

What do we know about the wedding arrangements?

Ahead of the service, Miss Henson will travel to the cathedral with her father, Rupert Henson, in a vintage Bentley that was originally made for W.O. Bentley, the founder of Bentley Motors, in 1930.

The ceremony at Chester Cathedral will begin at midday, with the Dean of Chester, the Very Reverend Dr Tim Stratford, leading the service.

It will feature the Chester Cathedral choir, conducted by Philip Rushforth, organist and master of the choristers at the church. They will be accompanied by a group of musicians from across north-west England.

A spokesperson for the Duke and Miss Henson said the couple had chosen seasonal flowers sourced from local growers, with much of the foliage coming from the grounds of the Duke’s Eaton Estate.

They include rambling roses, philadelphus, campanula and orlaya grandiflora, while birch trees will line the inside of the church, the spokesperson added.

After the ceremony, the Duke and Duchess of Westminster will travel back to Eaton Estate, which has been home to the Grosvenor family since the 1400s, where they will host a private wedding reception for guests.

Their spokesperson said the couple had taken “a great deal of care in planning the wedding, putting their own personal stamp on all the arrangements, and have made a conscious effort to involve local and regional suppliers in several aspects of the day.”

Royal relationships

Grosvenors have been aristocrats for centuries. They began building their property empire in London in the 1600s.

To summarize a several hundred-year-long history, Queen Victoria made Hugh Lupus Grosvenor the first Duke of Westminster in 1874. The current title holder is the seventh Duke of Westminster.

However, the Grosvenor family’s modern relationship with the royals goes beyond peerage.

The duke’s late father, Gerald Grosvenor, was a close friend of King Charles before his death in 2016.

When Hugh was born in 1991, Gerald Grosvenor made the King the godfather. They were so close that the King received this honor.

The duke is now a godfather himself to Prince William’s eldest child, Prince George, and Prince Harry’s son, Prince Archie.

He is said to have maintained relationships with both brothers over the years. However, it has been reported that Prince Harry will not attend the duke’s wedding.

Some reports have suggested that he and his wife, Meghan, were not included on the guest list. The duke expressed concern that their attendance might detract from the wedding itself, given their ongoing rift with the Royal Family.

Other reports suggested that Harry and Meghan received a ‘save the date.’ However, they decided to decline in order to prevent any awkwardness.

Prince William, on the other hand, will reportedly be an usher at the wedding, as he was for Lady Tamara’s. The Princess of Wales is unlikely to attend as she continues to undergo her cancer treatment.

There has been speculation over whether one of the Prince of Wales’s children could also take part in the wedding.

Will the King and other royals be at the wedding?

The King and Queen are expected to miss the wedding, as they did the duke’s sister Lady Tamara’s in 2004.

It was widely reported at the time that the King declined their invitations. After learning that he would have to sit separately from Camilla: – With her several rows behind and on the other side of the aisle, he decided not to attend.

This was reportedly due to royal protocol because the couple were not married at the time.

The King and Queen were also in France for D-Day celebrations yesterday.

King Charles has scaled back his public appearances since he started being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer.

What other guests could be there?

The duke’s three sisters, who are all married, are expected to attend.

Lady Tamara is married to businessman Edward van Cutsem, a good friend of Prince William’s.

Lady Edwina, an esteemed criminologist and philanthropist, is married to TV historian Dan Snow.

Finally, Lady Viola, the youngest of the four, married Royal Dragoon Guards officer Angus Roberts two years ago.

It has been reported that there will be another, more intimate reception on Saturday with family and close friends, as well as some of the Duke’s Grosvenor Group associates.

Motorists warned, and ice-creams on the happy couple

The city of Chester will be busier than usual on Friday. This is because a wedding is taking place. The council urged people to reconsider their journeys into the city centre on that day.

In an update on X, the council made the following suggestion: It’s recommended to avoid travelling to the centre by car.

There will be a number of road closures in place. The roads will be affected: Northgate Street, Bridge Street, Hamilton Place, St John Street, St Werburgh Street, and Eastgate Street. You can check the full list on the council’s interactive map. The following roads have closures:

The couple are supporting local businesses. They are offering free ice-cream, gelato, and sorbet from three local dessert parlors on their wedding day.

Duke of Westminster’s fortune explained

The duke has been featured on rich lists since he inherited his father’s billion-pound fortune.

Sky News’ business presenter Ian King explains. The Grosvenor family is linked in many people’s eyes to properties in west London. In the upmarket Mayfair and Belgravia districts, the family is known for their ownership. These assets are part of the wider Grosvenor Group. The company manages the Duke of Westminster’s wealth.

The business now includes

The business now includes assets and activities such as property in the UK and overseas. It also involves investments in food producers and agricultural technology companies. In addition, the business owns three large rural estates in northern England and Scotland.

He made the following statement: “The business is owned by a series of UK resident trusts.” He continued: “These trusts were set up by the family in the 1950s.” These trusts serve to shield businesses from the risk of expensive divorces and reckless spending by wayward family members.”

The duke and his family are the ultimate owners of Grosvenor. However, he is not permitted to sell assets if the need to raise cash arises. Major transactions, such as asset disposals, have to be agreed by the trustees.”

The family are UK-registered for tax and pay UK taxes. However, trusts are liable for income tax and capital gains tax.

They are liable for inheritance tax levied by the UK government. UK trusts of this kind are typical in that they make recurring payments. The payments amount to 6% of their assets every 10 years to HM Revenue & Customs. Instead of paying inheritance tax upon the deaths of beneficiaries,.

As a private company, Grosvenor is unusually open about its activities. The company publishes annual reports and financial statements in the way a listed company would.

“Its latest results, for 2023, revealed a £400 million drop in the value of the group’s portfolio to £8.6 billion. The portfolio is split roughly 50/50 between UK and international assets. A pre-tax loss of £28.6 million for the year compared with a profit of £110.4 million in 2022.”

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