Olivia Henson and Hugh Grosvenor are married in what has been dubbed as the society wedding of the decade.
Henson, 31, married Grosvenor, 33, in a ceremony on Friday, June 7, making them the new Duke and Duchess of Westminster.
Being the seventh Duke of Westminster, along with having an estimated fortune of 10.1 billion pounds thanks in part to owning 50% of land in the Mayfair area of London, made Grosvenor one of the most eligible bachelors in Britain up until 2021, when he met Henson.
Prince William was the only senior member of the royal family in attendance at the wedding, which was held at the Chester Cathedral, where he performed the role of usher. Kate Middleton was not expected to attend as she continues her cancer treatment.
King Charles, who is Grosvenor’s godfather, Queen Camilla, and Prince Harry, whose son Archie is Grosvenor’s godchild, were also not expected to attend.
Who is Olivia Henson?
Little is known about Olivia Henson, as she has a minimal social media presence. However, her schooling may sound somewhat familiar. After going to primary school in Oxford, she attended Marlborough College—which counts Kate and Pippa Middleton among its alumni.
She ventured to Dublin, to Trinity College for university, where she received honors in Hispanic studies and Italian.
Henson has since worked at Belazu for over five years, and is currently a key account manager based in London. It’s been reported that the pair plans to move to Chester following the wedding.
Belazu imports high-quality ingredients such as rose harissa, extra virgin olive oil, and preserved lemons from across Europe. It’s unclear whether Henson will remain in the role following the wedding. At their day of charity engagements in Chester in May this year, they confirmed a future move north, stating: “We’ll be building our lives together, and we’re slowly transitioning to move up from London and be much more permanent here and really putting roots down.”
Henson said at the time that moving to Chester was an “easy decision” for the couple.
How did Olivia Henson and Hugh Grosvenor meet?
All that is known about their meeting is that it was through mutual friends and that it happened in 2021. They were together for two years before Grosvenor proposed at his family’s 11,000 acre estate, Eaton Hall, in April 2023.
At the time, the two released one photo to announce their engagement, in which they are both seen smiling at the camera and dressed casually in blue shirts.
What do we know about the Duke and Duchess of Westminster’s wedding?
Prince William was expected to be the only member of the royal family to attend the June 7 wedding at Chester Cathedral.
A spokesperson for the couple recently told the Telegraph: “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.”
The cathedral has family ties too, as Grosvenor’s sister, Lady Tamara Grosvenor, married Edward Van Custem at the site in 2004.
Chester Cathedral was also where a memorial service was held for the late Duke of Westminster— Grosvenor’s father, Gerald—who died in 2016.
“We’ve obviously got a long association with the cathedral as a family,” the Duke said. “We were here for my father’s memorial, my sister’s wedding, and every Remembrance Sunday that I can attend is here.”
Who is Hugh Grosvenor and how did he become the Duke of Westminster?
Hugh Grosvenor was just 25 when his father died in 2016—Gerald Grosvenor died from a heart attack at the age of 64. Despite having older sisters, the ancient custom of primogeniture meant that the title, and the fortune that came with it, went to the sole male heir.
This makes Grosvenor the richest man in the UK under the age of 40. The Grosvenor Group has land holdings that include 1,500 properties across 60 countries. They own 50% of Mayfair in London, and 300 acres in the Belgravia neighborhood.
Despite being the sole male heir, Tatler confirmed that Grosvenor receives the same share from the estate as his mother, Natalia, and three sisters.
Grosvenor attended Newcastle University, achieving honors in agriculture, which made him the first Duke of Westminster to receive a degree.
The Grosvenors have long been connected to the royal family and, along with being a godfather to Prince Archie, Grosvenor is also godfather to Prince George.
This post was originally published in Glamour UK.