Prince Harry will be missing one of his good friend’s wedding day amid drama between him and other members of the royal family.
According to PEOPLE, the prince was invited to the wedding of Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminister, and Olivia Henson. The event will be taking place on June 7 at the Chester Cathedral, which is located in northern England.
Although he and the duke are close, Prince Harry had unfortunately declined the invitation. However, Prince William is expected to serve as an usher at the event.
A source close to the situation told the media outlet that it was an “understanding between the two friends” as to why the prince was unable to attend. Another insider also said that the prince and duke mutually made an agreement.
“[The prince sends] his love and support and admiration for the couple [for their wedding day],” the source explained.
PEOPLE also pointed out some obstacles that may be in the way of Prince Harry attending the duke’s special day. Among them include security challenges and not being able to stay at his and Meghan Markle’s former home, Frogmore Cottage.
The prince also may be avoiding sitting with his brother, due to the strained relationship they currently have.
The duke is notably the godfather of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s son, Prince Archie. He is also the godfather of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s eldest son, Prince George.
Among those who will be attending the duke’s wedding are the Grosvenor’s sisters, Lady Edwina and Lady Tamara, as well as their husbands, broadcaster Dan Snow and banker Edward van Cutsem.
The duke is the godson of King Charles III and his mother is Prince William’s godmother.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Were Not Invited to Trooping the Colour For Second Year in a Row
Meanwhile, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle were once again not invited to attend the Trooping the Colours event. This is reportedly the second year in a row that the Duke and Duchess didn’t receive invites.
The event is an annual celebration of the British monarch’s birthday, PEOPLE reports. It takes place in London and will be on Friday, June 15.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle previously attended the event in 2018 and 2019. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was scaled down significantly for 2020 and 2021. In both years, the event was at Windsor Castle without a large gathering of the royal family members.
The Duke and Duchess did attend the event in 2022, which coincided with Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of her reign. However, the duo did not join the royal family on the Buckingham Palace balcony. They also watched the events from a room above the Horse Guards Parade with other non-working royals.