Duke of Westminster’s bride Olivia Henson stuns in an Emma Victoria Payne gown featuring floral motifs from her ancestor’s veil and the Faberge Myrtle Leaf Tiara as she arrives at Chester Cathedral

Olivia Henson looked the picture of a beautiful bride as she arrived at Chester Cathedral this morning to marry her groom, the Duke of Westminster.

The soon-to-be Duchess, 31, wowed the crowd – gathered in their hundreds – as her father, Rupert Henson, helped her get out of her vintage Bentley wedding car that escorted the couple to the cathedral door.

She looked ethereal in a custom-made dress by London-based designer Emma Victoria Payne, which was accessorized with a veil and the Faberge Myrtle Leaf Tiara, created for Grosvenor brides to wear on their wedding day.

The tiara has been in the Grosvenor family since its creation in 1906, while the bride’s beautiful dress featured floral motifs and borders from Olivia’s great-great-grandmother’s veil from around 1880.

When she arrived at the cathedral for the historic wedding, the bride was accompanied by a woman who appeared to be her mother, who carried her train in a sweet moment.

She also nodded to the traditional ‘something blue’ for brides with a subtle nod in her shoes as she wore teal velvet block heels.

To complete her elegant ensemble, Miss Henson carried a bouquet of flowers picked from the gardens of Easton Hall, consisting of meadow grass, ox-eye daisies, iris, rose, clematis, mock orange, scabious, sweet pea, astrantia, martagon lily and love in a fog.

Her dress – made from ivory silk crepe satin and organza – featured a scalloped edge neckline and a delicate custom hand-appliqued embroidery consisting of floral and leaf motifs.

It also had a slim silhouette with a bias-cut skirt, a pleated waistband, pleated sleeves, wide embroidered silk organza cuffs with a repeated scalloped edge motif and button detailing.

The back of the wedding gown featured a dropped waist, a keyhole back and a detachable two-metre silk crepe-satin train with paneled construction.

On the veil, personalized initials and wedding date completed the design at center back.

The city of Chester, a 14-minute drive from the Duke’s ancestral home, Eaton Hall, has largely come to a standstill to celebrate the couple’s big day – with a host of high-profile attendees including Prince William and Prince George arriving in the pews sat from the city’s old cathedral.

The wedding, which will be attended by 400 guests from the top of high society, will be officiated by the Dean of Chester, the Very Reverend Dr. Tim Stratford.

Meanwhile, the Bishop of Chester, the Right Rev. Mark Tanner, will preach and the Rev. Canon Rosie Woodall will lead the prayers.

Music will be performed by the Chester Cathedral Choir and will consist of three local young choristers Grace Crook, Isla Mills and Cassie Lounds, who all attend The Queen’s School in Chester.

The couple will return to their country pile after the ceremony for a private wedding reception; The opulent Eaton Estate has been home to the Duke’s family since the 14th century.

No expense was spared for the couple’s big day; The beautiful car in which the bride arrived with her father this morning was originally made for WO Bentley, the founder of Bentley Motors, in 1930.

And the flowers, all 100 percent British, have been carefully chosen from local growers through the Flowers from the Farm network, which supports artisan growers.

Ahead of the wedding, a spokesperson for the Duke and Miss Henson said they were delighted to be getting married so close to the Eaton Estate, saying: ‘It means a lot to them to be married at Chester Cathedral, especially given the long and close family relationship of the Grosvenor family. personal connection with both the cathedral and the city of Chester.

The spokesperson added: ‘The Duke and Miss Henson have taken great care in planning the wedding, putting their own personal stamp on all arrangements and making a conscious effort to involve local and regional suppliers in various aspects of the day. involve. ‘

The 7th Duke of Westminster, 33, commonly known as ‘Hughie’ to aristocratic friends, is estimated to be worth £10.42 billion, making him the richest man under the age of 40 in Britain.

He is the godfather of Prince William’s son, Prince George, and Prince Harry’s son Archie. Harry will not be attending the wedding today.

Bride Olivia, who like the Princess of Wales and Princess Eugenie attended Marlborough College, is a senior account manager at Belazu, an eco-friendly company that imports sustainable, chef-quality ingredients.

Hugh has increasingly begun initiating various environmentally friendly practices, including renewable energy projects, green building codes, and biodiversity conservation efforts.

It will likely be a green event, as both Hugh and Olivia are environmentally conscious, and it is understood that flowers used at the ceremony and reception will be pressed afterwards and made into sustainable works of art, rather than simply thrown away.

Shortly before 11am, coaches and minibuses full of excited guests arrived and entered the side door of the cathedral.

As they rounded the corner, many smiled and waved back to the crowds lining the streets, cheering their arrival.

William, dressed like others in morning suits, smiled as he exited a black minivan to drive towards the building.

Guests joined the long line that crept into the cathedral, waiting to be led to their seats by Prince William and the other ushers.

Harry, who was expected to attend today’s service, has chosen to remain in California.

Photos from this morning show excited royal fans forming outside the cathedral ahead of the Church of England ceremony starting at midday.