Preparations are in full swing at Chester Cathedral as the Duke of Westminster prepares to marry his fiancée Olivia Henson at noon on Friday.
Delivery vans carrying supplies, such as flowers, have been spotted arriving at the Grade I-listed cathedral, while scaffolding has also been erected outside the venue.
Among the flowers that will go on display for the upcoming wedding include beautiful roses, which have been positioned either side of the altar, as well as lavender and baby's breath. White flowers in an arch formation are also being put up outside the cathedral doors.
Large trees were seen being carried into the cathedral, reminiscent of the Prince and Princess of Wales' own royal wedding back in 2011.
© James WhatlingWilliam is good friends with the groom, Hugh Grosvenor, and will act as one of his ushers.
His ten-year-old son Prince George, who is Hugh's godson, was rumoured to be attending as a pageboy but is reportedly not making an appearance anymore.
Kate's wedding flowers
At William and Kate's wedding, the Princess had arranged for their venue, Westminster Abbey, to be transformed into a foliage dream. Almost 30,000 flowers including blossoms and azaleas, most taken from Windsor Great Park's Valley Gardens in Surrey, adorned the abbey.
Six field maple trees and two hornbeams also flanked the altar that Kate walked down.
© GettyThe aim was for the abbey to look natural and elegant, and to reflect the bride's English country girl roots.
Olivia has 'fallen in love' with Chester
Speaking exclusive to HELLO! ahead of the wedding, The Very Revd Dr Tim Stratford, who has been Dean of Chester since 2018, revealed it was "quite the decision" from the bride Olivia to hold the wedding at the cathedral, given her fiancé's strong links with the city and his family church.
"She has fallen in love with Chester," he added.
The Dean also noted how proud he was that the couple had chosen Chester Cathedral: "They could have chosen a remote island, but they chose here."
Friday's wedding will be a Church of England ceremony, including readings that have been personally chosen by the couple.
The Duke and his foodie account manager fiancée Olivia will tie the knot in front of 400 guests in a private ceremony.
Chester Cathedral
The cathedral has a long-standing association with the groom and is located just four miles away from his family's ancestral seat, which Hugh inherited in 2016 when his father Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster, unexpectedly passed away of a heart attack.
At the time, Hugh, aged 25, became a billionaire overnight, inheriting his family's fortune which now stands at £10.1 billion, making him the richest person under the age of 40 in the UK.
During a visit to Chester last month, the Duke, 33, told Town & Country: "I think next time we're in here will be slightly more nerve-wracking, but I'm unbelievably excited.
"I also just wanted to make it very clear how unbelievably helpful people have been, how supportive they've been so far which I'm unbelievably grateful for. Because I do realise that it's going to be a big thing for the city.
"It's going to be certainly a huge thing for us, so we're just really grateful for all the help."
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.
