Inside Prince Harry's absence from biggest wedding of the year with old pals

08 June 2024 , 15:26

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Inside Prince Harry's absence from the biggest wedding of the year as he's 'estranged' from old pals

As many gathered for the Duke of Westminster's wedding in Chester, Prince Harry was notably absent from the crowd of guests.

The Duke of Sussex has bonded with his long-term pal Hugh Grosvenor for many years and attended his raucous 21st birthday party in 2012. Their friendship runs so deep that when Harry's son Prince Archie was born in 2019, Hugh was given a prestigious role as godfather. However, Hugh is also said to be very close with Prince William and it is thought the royal rift between the brothers has seen Harry keep his distance from Hugh's big day.

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Prince Harry was notably absent from old friend Hugh Grosvenor's wedding, as it's thought he declined to avoid seeing brother Prince William

According to The Times, Harry was invited to Hugh's wedding, but then over a phone call with the groom agreed to stay away in what is described as a "civilised understanding". This move in turn cleared the way for William to perform his job as usher at the ceremony, where he was seen entering the Chester cathedral through a side door on Friday.

In another claim, an insider told the New York Post that "Harry actually got a 'save the date' card a few months ago but called Hugh and said it would be too awkward if he and Meghan Markle attended, so he made his apologies and Hugh understood."

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Last month, the Sunday Times also reported that Hugh wanted both princes at the wedding but came to an agreement with Harry. A source told the publication: "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."

Hugh Grosvenor wed wife Olivia Grosvenor at Chester Cathedral on Friday

Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, royal expert and author Tom Quinn revealed that Harry was also put out as William took on a role in the groom party, and not him. Tom Quinn explained: "Harry hates the idea of completely losing touch with his old Etonian and army friends and he was close to Hugh Grosvenor, but attending a wedding at which his brother will be an usher is just history repeating itself in the most painful way. Harry felt he should have been invited to be an usher, but once again his brother takes precedence. Missing the wedding and increasingly losing touch with his old friends isn’t all bad for Harry. He knows that Meghan loathes many of his old woke-hating, pheasant-shooting friends and those old friendships are still inextricably mixed with a past that in many respects Harry is happy to forget."

This isn't the first of Harry's pals weddings that he has missed, with him appearing to stay away alongside wife Meghan Markle. The Sussexes were notably absent for Harry's former military pal Jack Mann's exchange of vows with wife Isabella Clark in Suffolk last summer. The guests that day included Harry's friend Thomas van Straubenzee, who is the godfather of his niece, Princess Charlotte.

Hugh Grosvenor and Olivia Grosvenor's wedding was attended by royals including Princess Eugenie and Prince William

Harry's distancing and estrangement from his group of long term friends has also extended to another pal, Hugh van Cutsem who is also a close pal of Prince William and is thought to have strong links to King Charles through his father. The banker and businessman is also friends with outspoken broadcaster Jeremy Clarkson, even appearing on his TV show 'Clarkson's Farm', which has been seen as a huge betrayal by Harry after Clarkson's outspoken and controversial comments in a newspaper calling for Meghan to be mocked.

Harry also revealed their was tension between himself and Hugh in his 2023 autobiography 'Spare'. In his memoir, he wrote that Hugh's mother, Emilie, and one of her four sons had contacted him to voice their fury after his explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey.. Harry wrote: "Several close mates and beloved figures in my life, including one of Hugh and Emilie's sons, Emilie herself, and even Tiggy [Pettifer, his former nanny], had chastised me for Oprah. How could you reveal such things? About your family"

Niamh Spence