The Duke Of Westminster Hugh Grosvenor Has Notoriety All His Own Outside The Royal Family
Anyone who bears the title of "duke" undoubtedly has made the acquaintance of Britain's Buckingham Palace crowd, but for Hugh Grosvenor, the relationship goes beyond that. Rising from the title of earl to the new Duke of Westminster upon the his father's death in 2016, Grosvenor has had a long-standing connection with several members of the royal family. King Charles III is his godfather, and Grosvenor himself was named godfather of Prince George, son of William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales. He's also the godfather of Archie, the son of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The world has become more familiar with Grosvenor since he announced his engagement to Olivia Henson in 2023, with the wedding on June 7, 2024. While it's not one of the official royal events happening in 2024, it does have ties to the crown — William is not only attending but serving as an usher at the ceremony. (Harry was reportedly invited but declined – another date to add to the timeline of the rift between Princess Diana's sons.)
Grosvenor has been getting attention for his close connections to the royal family, but that's not the only thing he's known for in his country. The Duke of Westminster has the distinction of being the richest man in the United Kingdom under the age of 40.
The Duke of Westminster is a billionaire
When The Sunday Times revealed their round-up of the "40 Richest People Under 40 in the UK" on May 17, 2024, 33-year-old Duke of Westminster Hugh Grosvenor was a must-include. His reported wealth of 10.127 billion British pounds was enough to put him at the top of that list, and earn him the rank of 14th richest person of any age in the United Kingdom. His money was inherited from his family, who has been heavily involved in real estate since the 1600s. The Grosvenor Group, the family's official company, owns property and buildings in the Mayfair and Belgravia districts of London, as well as in 48 cities around the world.
Along with commercial property, Grosvenor and his family have called Eaton Estate home since the 1400s. It's 11,000 acres in the county of Cheshire, England, includes Eaton Hall (pictured above), where Grosvenor grew up, and where he will live with his new wife Olivia Easton. Their wedding will be held at the Chester Cathedral, about a 15-minute drive from the grand manor.
While Grosvenor has mostly lived a relatively low-key life, he did have one very big indulgence that hinted at his family's fortune. For his 21st birthday in 2021, he threw an extravagant party, with the 800 invited guests directed to dress in black tie and neon. The estimated cost of the bash was 5 million pounds (about 7.8 million US dollars at the time).
Hugh Grosvenor's and Oliva Henson's wedding splurges
As would be expected by someone who had a blow-out birthday celebration, the wedding of the Duke of Westminster Hugh Grosvenor to Olivia Henson also has some extra details that have made a tiny dent in his massive fortune. The city of Chester, where the wedding is happening, is now blooming with the addition of 100,000 new flowers, courtesy of the happy couple. Chester normally plants in the summer, but this year, Grosvenor footed the bill in honor of his wedding.
There's also the matter of free food. The duke and his soon-to-be duchess teamed up with three local businesses in Chester to offer everyone free ice cream, sorbet, gelato, or donuts on their wedding day. Two of the shops have even created special lemon confections to mimic the flavor of the couple's wedding cake.
And that's just what's happening outside the wedding and reception. Details have been keep quiet about what the 400 guests will experience when Grosvenor and Henson exchange vows, then celebrate at Eaton Hall. It may just earn a spot amongst the best royal weddings in history – even if it's not officially royal.