Meet billionaire Hugh Grosvenor’s bride, Olivia Henson: the new Duchess of Westminster weds the UK’s richest millennial – but were Prince William and Kate Middleton expected to be there?

Jun 8 , 2024

The seventh Duke of Westminster, Hugh Grosvenor, marries Olivia Henson today, on June 7, in Chester, England. Photo: @edenconfidential/Instagram

The “biggest royal wedding of the year” takes place today, on June 7. Hugh Grosvenor, the seventh Duke of Westminster, is tying the knot with Olivia Henson.

Grosvenor has long been considered “the most eligible bachelor in England” for his aristocratic ties and astronomical wealth, being the richest millennial in the UK. He’s also closely linked with the British royal family: King Charles is his godfather and William and Kate’s son George – the future king of England – and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s son Archie, are both his godsons.

While we now know plenty about the wealthy Duke of Westminster, less is known about his new wife, Olivia Henson, who has remained under the radar over the years.

Here’s what we know about her so far:

What does Olivia Henson do for work?

According to Hello!, as a child, Henson was enrolled at the prestigious Dragon School in Oxford, and went on to attend Marlborough College, where Princess Eugenie also went. She later took Hispanic studies and Italian at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, per the magazine. The same article adds that she currently works as a senior account manager for Belazu, a high-end food ingredient importer.

She’s very private

Considering how prominent her partner is, Henson has managed to keep herself out of the spotlight over the years. She doesn’t appear to have a public social media account, and only a handful of photos of the bride-to-be have can be found online.

She’s being compared to Kate Middleton

Various media outlets have already been comparing Henson’s looks to those of Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales. Not only do they look similar thanks to their chestnut-brown long hair and bright smiles, but they also had similar upbringings. Per Hello!, they both attended Marlborough College and have impressive academic backgrounds.

How did Olivia Henson meet Hugh Grosvenor, seventh Duke of Westminster?

According to Town & Country, the couple first met after being introduced through mutual friends.

When did Olivia Henson and Hugh Grosvenor get engaged?

Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster, is now 33. Photo: WPA Pool/Getty Images

Two years after meeting, Grosvenor, 33, and Henson, 31, became engaged. Per Town & Country, the proposal took place at the Duke’s family home, Eaton Hall, which has been in the Grosvenor family since the 1400s.

What do we know about the wedding – from the guests to the venue?

Hugh Grosvenor is a long time family friend of the royal princes William and Harry. Photo: Instagram

According to the couple’s interview with Town & Country, the wedding takes place at Chester Cathedral in front of 400 guests on June 7. “[Chester’s] obviously a place where we will live, where we’ll be building our lives together,” Henson shared with the publication. “And we’re slowly transitioning to move up from London and be much more permanent here and really putting roots down. So actually, yes it was a really easy decision in the end.”

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge with his friend Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster in 2018, in Leeds, England. Photo: WPA/Getty Images

“I’m unbelievably excited,” Grosvenor added. “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.” The publication notes that the couple have also been visiting various charities in the city, all of which are supported by his Westminster Foundation.

As for the guest list, British media outlets have predicted that Prince William may be the only royal family member who is able to attend, as Kate Middleton and King Charles were both diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.

Royalty

Hugh Grosvenor has long been considered ‘the most eligible bachelor in England’ for his wealth and ties to the royal family – he’s godfather to Prince William and Harry’s sons, for starters
However, less is known about the Duke of Westminster’s new wife Olivia Henson, who he marries on June 7, in Chester Cathedral to great fanfare – here’s what you need to know