Prince Harry had two main fears about attending the wedding ceremony deemed to be the social event of the year,alongside his elder brother, Prince William. This analysis comes from a seasoned Royal observer and ex-employee of King Charles.
Following Prince William’s solo attendance at the opulent union of the Duke of Westminster, Hugh Grosvenor and Olivia Henson, without the company of his father, King Charles or spouse, Kate, Grant Harrold, once the butler in service to King Charles, gave an interview to OK! magazine.
Harrold shared: “I’m sure [Harry] would have wanted to attend. But Harry and William shared friends and they have likely been drawn into this dispute. Plus, he may have worried that the rift with William would pull focus from the wedding.” In addition, Harrold noted: “It will be hard for William to attend the wedding without Kate as I’m sure they planned to go together. They’re such a partnership and he’s his best self when she’s by his side.”
Meanwhile, reports suggest King Charles is deeply upset over missing the grand nuptials of the Duke, despite several acquaintances including his eldest son making an appearance. There has been considerable buzz around the event, now referred to as the ‘society event of the year’. The Duke of Westminster, who includes Prince George and Archie Sussex among his godchildren, exchanged vows with Olivia Henson in a ceremony which held Royal significance. Despite his close bond with the Royal family, it wasn’t projected that King Charles would be present at the wedding, owing to his persistent health issues.
Mr Harrold fondly recalled the close bond between the families, stating: “The Duke of Westminster’s late father was Charles’ best friend. I witnessed the two families together when I worked with Charles and they are so close”. King Charles’ ongoing cancer treatments have understandably taken precedence over such engagements. Mr Grand added: “Charles has a special bond with the Duke of Westminster too but if he’s been forced to miss the wedding due to a packed schedule and his ongoing treatment, that will be a bitter pill to swallow and he’ll be devastated.”
In praise of Charles’ commitment, Harrold further added: “He’d commit to a full work schedule if he could and hates to let people down.” Given the close relationship between them, it is believed that the Duke may have asked Charles not to exert himself by attending the wedding, especially considering Charles had made a trip to Normandy on June 6 to mark the anniversary of the D-Day landings.
Cancer has cast a shadow not only over Charles but also over Prince William and Princess Catherine, who has been battling her own harrowing diagnosis this year. Everyone close to King Charles is hoping for his swift recovery so he can resume his Royal duties and family life.
