PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly declined an invite to Archie's godfather's wedding to "avoid overshadowing the day".
Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster, will marry Olivia Henson, 31, at Chester Cathedral on June 7.
But the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not attend the wedding, the Sunday Times reported.
The 33-year-old aristocrat and businessman is godfather to Harry's five-year-old son Prince Archie.
Their absence from the wedding is allegedly to "avoid royal tensions overshadowing the day".
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Reports emerged in December suggesting Harry and his wife Meghan were not on the guest list for the wedding.
Grosvenor was said to be concerned that the ongoing rift between Prince William and Harry could overshadow the day.
"It's incredibly sad it has come to this," a friend of the princes previously told the Sunday Times.
"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."
However sources close to the Sussexes claim the pair did receive a "save the date" card but thought attending would be "too awkward".
The Sun has contacted representatives of the Sussexes for comment.
It comes after it was reported the Prince of Wales is to be an usher at the wedding of his close friend.
William will be among the groom's party at the 400-person ceremony.
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The Princess of Wales, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, is not expected to attend.
The Duke of Westminster is a godson of the King and godfather to William's son, Prince George.
The couple announced their engagement at Eaton Hall in Cheshire in April last year after being together for two years.
The Duke of Westminster topped The Sunday Times 40 Under 40 Rich List this week, boasting a fortune of £10.1 billion.
He became an instant billionaire when he inherited his title and control of the historic Grosvenor Estate aged 25 following the death of his father from a heart attack in 2016.
His property company, Grosvenor Group, owns about 300 acres of land in Mayfair and Belgravia, as well as major city centre developments such as Liverpool's ONE shopping centre, and the duke is part of the royal inner circle.
