The Duke of Westminster and Olivia Henson's wedding at Chester Cathedral is just hours away and so the finishing touches are likely to be currently taking shape ahead of the nuptials.
One very important element of any wedding day is the cake. The happy couple will no doubt relish cutting into the cake at their reception after saying 'I do' and it seems the couple has taken note from the groom Hugh Grosvenor's close friend Prince Harry who wed Meghan Markle in 2018.
The two have a close friendship with both Prince Harry and his brother Prince William, who is expected to attend the wedding on Friday as an usher, made Hugh a godfather to their respective sons, Prince Archie and Prince George.
Hugh and Olivia's wedding cake has a similar theme to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's as they selected lemon and elderflower as their flavour of choice.
The Duke of Westminster and Olivia Henson's wedding cake
HELLO! discovered the flavour reporting on the ground in Chester as excitement for the big day mounts. One local business, Krum Gelato, who has been helped out financially by the Grosvenor Organisation to hand out free gelato to customers in the City Centre in celebration of the big day, told us some exciting cake details.
In an exclusive interview, the owner, Fabrizio, told us that he was informed of the couple's cake flavour so that he could use it for inspiration to create a bespoke sorbet as a symbol and special nod to the couple's big day.
"To give an homage to the couple, I personally asked if the detail of the wedding reception could be disclosed," Fabrizio told us. "And we have been told that there is a lemon theme with the wedding cake. So, we are making a very special lemon sorbet made with special Italian lemons that will be served tomorrow."
Fabrizio was vocal about how much he appreciated the Duke's generous initiative to "spotlight" local businesses. "We are very much an independent group of businesses, all self-funded, and we love the fact that the community comes out and supports us.
© Grosvenor 2024"We saw this initiative like a golden initiative, and I respect the choice that the Duke and Olivia have made in giving some shine to businesses."
He continued: "We were contacted by the organisation in April and they said 'Can you come to the estate?' And then we developed some ideas together. The idea of serving free ice cream was a no-brainer for us."
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding cake
As for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, they also had lemon as a flavour of choice on their big day, which took place at Windsor Castle in May 2018.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex opted for a trendy lemon and elderflower sponge, instead of the custom fruit cake.
© WPA PoolIt was built from four separate cakes on a tiered gold stand for a modern feel which was covered not in the usual royal icing, but in a decadent Swiss meringue buttercream.
It was then covered in stunning white peonies and roses with green leaves for an ethereal feel.
© WPA PoolAre Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attending the Duke of Westminster's wedding?
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not be in attendance at the Duke of Westminster and Olivia Henson's wedding on Friday 7 June at Chester Cathedral.
Although the exact reasons have not been disclosed, one reason could be the strained relationship between brothers William and Harry.
WESTMINSTER WEDDING: AT A GLANCE
Meet the bride
- Miss Olivia Henson, 31, was educated at Marlborough College, whose alumni include Kate and Pippa Middleton.
- She gained a a degree from Trinity in Ireland.
- Olivia is now Senior Account Manager at Belazu, a B-corp ingredient company.
The wedding venue
- The Duke and future Duchess of Westminster will tie the knot at the breathtaking Chester Cathedral
- The space is where his late father's memorial was held, and is set in the city where he grew up.
- Olivia revealed to Town & Country that Chester is "the place where we will live, where we will be building our lives together."
The wedding guests
- The Grosvenors are a family with a long-standing connection to the royal family; Hugh is a lifelong friend of Princes William and Harry.
- The Prince of Wales has been confirmed to be one of the Duke's ushers.
Which royal guests declined their invitation?
- Despite having a close relationship with the Duke, Prince Harry and Meghan reportedly declined their invitation.
- It has yet not been confirmed if King Charles, who is Hugh's godfather, will attend with Queen Camilla.
- The Princess of Wales is not expected to attend, amid her ongoing break from the spotlight as she undergoes treatmet for cancer.
- It is likely Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will not be in attendance.
What's more, it's unlikely that Meghan would have attended even if her husband decided to, for the same reason she didn't attend the Invictus Games service in London last month due to the issue surrounding their security.
The wedding will be a Church of England ceremony and include readings the couple has personally chosen. The pair will tie the knot in front of 400 guests in a private ceremony held at the Cathedral.
