Prince William looked smart in a morning suit as he arrived at Chester Cathedral to be an usher at the society wedding of the year, which will see his close pal the Duke of Westminster marry Olivia Henson

Prince William has arrived at Chester Cathedral for the society wedding of the year of his close pal the Duke of Westminster.

The Prince of Wales, who just yesterday was at D-Day 80th anniversary commemorations in France, was seen arriving quietly at the Cathedral in a morning suit to be an usher at the ceremony between the Duke, whose real name is Hugh Grosvenor, and his wife-to-be Olivia Henson. William arrived alone for the service, with wife Kate expected to stay at home as she continues her recovery following her cancer diagnosis. He is believed to be one of 10 ushers at the ceremony today, and they all turned up together in a blacked-out van just after 10.30am and entered through a side entrance

The Duke of Westminster arrives for his wedding at Chester Cathedral ( 
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Samir HusseinWireImage)

William entered the cathedral via a side entrance ( 
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Getty Images)
It came as crowds began to gather to catch a glimpse of the wedding party and others on the glittering guestlist, with William’s cousin Princess Eugenie also turning up for the nuptials alongside former Vogue editor Violet Henderson-Vestey. The groom arrived at the Cathedral alongside his three best men in a green Land Rover Defender to loud cheers and waved at the huge crowds.

The mother of the groom, Natalia Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster, arrived wearing a pink dress and pink fascinator. She walked into the cathedral with the groom’s three sisters, Lady Tamara Grosvenor, Lady Viola Grosvenor and Lady Edwina Grosvenor, to cheers from the crowds outside.

Olivia Henson arrives for her wedding ( 
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Samir HusseinWireImage)

Shortly after the bride arrived and stunned in a gown by London-based designer Emma Victoria Payne and she completed her bridal look with the Faberge Myrtle Leaf Tiara, one that Grosvenor brides wear on their wedding day.

King Charles, the groom’s godfather, and Queen Camilla are not due to be at the ceremony, having been at D-Day commemorations in France on Thursday. The Duke of Westminster is godfather to William’s son, Prince George, and also, reportedly, to Harry’s son Prince Archie. Ten-year-old George is not expected to attend the wedding as it falls on a school day.

Also not expected to be there, despite being a close pal of the groom is Prince Harry, who seemingly was invited to the nuptials, but diplomatically decided to stay away. William and Harry are embroiled in a bitter feud and it appears that one party had to concede they would not attend and not overshadow the day.

Princess Eugenie arrives for the wedding at Chester Cathedral ( 
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AFP via Getty Images)
A source 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.”

After Hugh and Harry came to the “civilised understanding” it seemingly paved the way for William’s attendance – and for him to take up his role as an usher at the ceremony.

The Duke of Westminster boasts a fortune of £10.1billion and topped The Sunday Times 40 Under 40 Rich List earlier this year. 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.

The Duke waves to the crowds ( 
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PA)
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. The couple are said to have chosen the wedding venue for its beauty and because of the personal connection to the duke, whose family home Eaton Hall is nearby.

Ms Henson will travel to the cathedral with her father in a vintage Bentley, originally made for the car manufacturer’s founder in 1930. The wedding will be officiated by the Dean of Chester, the Very Revd Dr Tim Stratford. The service will be sung by the Chester Cathedral Choir, accompanied by a group of musicians from North West England. The Bishop of Chester, the Right Revd Mark Tanner, will preach and prayers will be led by the Revd Canon Rosie Woodall.

As part of the celebrations for their wedding, The Duke and Olivia are supporting three local businesses, subsidising free ice cream, gelato and sorbet for visitors to the city. The Duke has also paid for more than 100,000 flowers to be planted in displays around the city as part of the Summer Flowers project.

Following the service, there will be a private reception at Eaton Hall. A spokesperson for the duke and Ms Henson said: “This is an incredibly special day for the Duke and Miss Henson and they are very much looking forward to the service.

The Duke of Westminster’s mum and three sisters arrive for the wedding ( 
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PA)

“It means a lot to them to marry in Chester Cathedral, especially given the Grosvenor family’s long and close personal connection to both the Cathedral and the city of Chester. 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.”

The spokesperson added: “The Duke and Miss Henson have 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.”

Seasonal flowers for the ceremony were sourced from local growers and will be made into bouquets after the wedding, to be delivered to local charities, churches and organisations. The couple announced their engagement in April last year after being together for two years.