Kerry Parnell: William and Harry could have made amends at Britain’s poshest wedding
It’s a shame Harry wasn’t invited to his mate’s recent wedding, writes Kerry Parnell, because a boozy dust-up could have been just the ticket for him to clear the air with brother William.
Opinion
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It was real-life Bridgerton, with dukes, duchesses, scandal and intrigue, at the society wedding of the year.
On Friday, the “world’s most eligible bachelor”, Hugh Grosvenor, Duke of Westminster, tied the knot with Olivia Henson, in Britain’s poshest wedding. The only thing missing was a duel.
The happy couple threw a lavish party at the duke’s ancestral home and were keen proceedings went smoothly — in other words, without the Duke of Hazard, Prince Harry.
Hugh, 33, married Olivia, 31, on Friday, in northern England’s Chester Cathedral, in what was dubbed the “most royal non-royal wedding, ever”.
It was followed by a weekend of parties at the Duke’s family seat, Eaton Hall — a vast 17th century mansion and estate covering 11,000 acres of manicured grounds, along the lines of Versailles.
Not for them a David Jones-esque gift list, where guests choose between salad bowls and bed linen, cutlery and an air fryer.
Hughie, as he’s known to his mates, is worth around$20bn, so he could comfortably buy David Jones itself. Instead, he and his new duchess requested no presents from their 400 guests.
As well as giving the gift list the boot, the couple also kicked out Harry, this time not even extending the booby prize of the always-insulting invitation to only the “evening reception”, which Meghan received at Pippa Middleton’s big day in 2017.
Note to anyone planning their wedding: nobody ever likes being on the B-list.
Hugh is a childhood friend of both William and Harry, plus godfather to Princes George and Archie, but even so, was reportedly fearful the brothers’ bitter feud would overshadow his (very) big day.
According to US media, there was an “understanding between the two friends” and Harry decided for the sake of decorum, he would forgo the dinner and disco and let his brother William do the honours.
However, like Harry’s last visit to London where his dad’s diary was just too chockers to squeeze in a chat, I think it another missed opportunity to clear the air — this time, with a classic wedding dust-up.
William and Harry could have had it all out at the party of the century.
After 82 glasses of Champagne and not enough canapes to soak it up, it could have ended either in an emotional man-hug and dancing to Frank Sinatra’s My Way, or a good old biffo behind the marquee. Both would have done the job.
After all, what’s a wedding without a drunken row and someone storming off? A rubbish wedding, that’s what.
Still, Harry should be used to it. At his sister-in-law’s nuptials in 2017, Meghan had to back-door it into the party, after the vows.
According to Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand’s Finding Freedom, Pippa and mum Carole, “harboured concerns” that Meghan and Harry might overshadow the ceremony, so uninvited her.
Meghan then ignominiously waited in an Airbnb for Harry to fetch her after the ceremony, away from the cameras.
So, what was stopping Hazza doing the same thing this time? Probably the fear that not the cameras, but his brother, would snap.
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