Billionaire aristocrat Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster, married Olivia Henson in a high society wedding at Chester Cathedral where the Prince of Wales acted as an usher.
Not even a Just Stop Oil protest, outside the church as the newlyweds came outside, could dampen the mood as the crowds of people cheered on the happy couple.
There was even free ice cream and treats laid on for the public through three local businesses by the Grosvenor family to mark the highbrow occasion.
It was last April when the Duke proposed to his new wife on the grounds of his family’s 11,000-acre Eaton Estate, just four miles from Chester, and set to be a new home for the pair.
RSVPs were sent as the couple looked forward to as an “incredibly special day”, and many duly accepted – although Prince Harry reportedly chose not to amid the ongoing feud with his brother, William, who was appointed usher.
And on Friday morning, following pre-wedding drinks at the Grosvenor-owned five-star Chester Grosvenor, the Prince of Wales was among the first of the wedding party to show up at Chester Cathedral.
Also waiting outside the cathedral were crowds of people, many waving Union Jack flags, kept back by railings to allow the bride and groom, along with the 400 guests, to arrive.
The Duke waved to the crowd as he turned up in a green Land Rover with his three best men, before Ms Henson arrived, stepping out of a vintage 1930-built Bentley in a stunning bespoke gown and striking blue shoes.
The bride waved to the crowds as she entered the cathedral with a smile, as her veil and dress, designed by London-based Emma Victoria Payne, billowed in the wind.
Once inside the cathedral, the pair exchange vows before the Dean of Chester, the Very Revd Dr Tim Stratford, before reemerging from the cathedral to share a kiss before the cheering well-wishers.
A brief commotion occurred with Just Stop Oil protesters letting off a fire extinguisher opposite the church, but two female activists were quickly removed by police. Shortly after, Cheshire Police said it had arrested a 69-year-old woman from Manchester, and a 73-year-old woman from Suffolk on suspicion of public order offences.
The hundreds of guests, including Princess Eugenie, TV producer Phil Redmond and historian Dan Snow, then flooded out of the venue to head to the reception at the Duke of Westminster’s estate.
Absentees aside from Prince Harry included King Charles, the Queen or the Princess of Wales, who continues to undergo treatment for cancer.
A spokesperson for the Duke and Ms Henson said: “The couple have also been moved by the messages of support they have received from around the region and are hugely grateful that people want to share in their happiness.”
Earlier this year, the Duke of Westminster topped The Sunday Times 40 Under 40 Rich List, boasting a fortune of £10.1bn.
His property company, Grosvenor Group, owns about 300 acres of land in London’s Mayfair and Belgravia, as well as major city centre developments such as the Liverpool One shopping centre.
His bride, who grew up in London and Oxfordshire, has worked in the sustainable food and drinks industry, most recently at London-based artisanal food company, Belazu.
