The Duke of Westminster is facing a “delicate dilemma” over whether to ask both Prince William and Prince Harry to be godfathers to his newborn daughter, according to new claims.
Billionaire aristocrat Hugh Grosvenor, 34, and his wife Olivia, 32, welcomed their first child, Cosima Florence, last month, a year after their lavish wedding where the Prince of Wales acted as usher.
Mr Grosvenor, King Charles’s godson and known to friends as Hughie, is close to both brothers.
He is thought to be the only friend chosen as a godparent to each of their sons, Prince George, 12, and Prince Archie, six.
Duke of Westminster facing ‘delicate dilemma’ over Prince William and Prince Harry
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Friends of the Duke and Duchess of Westminster say no final decision has been made on Cosima’s godparents, but according to the Sunday Times, it is understood William, 43, will take on the role.
The new father is still said to be weighing up whether to also ask Harry, despite ongoing tensions since the Sussexes left royal duties in 2020 and relocated to California.
Both brothers are believed to have sent their congratulations to the couple after Cosima’s birth on July 27. A date for her christening has yet to be confirmed.
The Sussexes did not attend Grosvenor’s wedding at Chester Cathedral or the reception at Eaton Hall last June, while William played a prominent role, welcoming guests and showing them to their seats before the ceremony.
The Duke and Duchess of Westminster tied the knot in a ceremony at Chester Cathedral | GETTY
It was reported at the time that Grosvenor had planned to invite Harry and Meghan but worried the brothers’ rift could overshadow the day.
A friend told the Times: “It’s incredibly sad it has come to this. Hugh is one of very few close friends of William and Harry’s who has maintained strong bonds and a line of communication with both.
“He wishes they could put their heads together and patch things up, but realises it’s unlikely to happen before the wedding.
“He wanted to avoid anything overshadowing the day, especially for Olivia, and doesn’t want any awkwardness.”
The Duke of Westminster is both Archie and Prince George's godfather - and Prince William could soon take up a similar post | GETTYLater, sources close to the Sussexes suggested they had received a “save the date” card but decided not to go, judging it would be “too awkward.”
The brothers have not spoken since Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September 2022, when they were briefly seen behaving civilly in public. That occasion also marked Meghan’s last trip to Britain, with Harry returning only occasionally since.
Tensions have deepened as the Sussexes criticised the monarchy in interviews and Harry’s memoir Spare.
In the book, he wrote: “I was the shadow, the support, the Plan B. I was brought into the world in case something happened to Willy. I was summoned to provide back-up, distraction, diversion and if necessary, a spare part. Kidney, perhaps. Blood transfusion. Speck of bone marrow.”
The Duke of Westminster arriving at Chester Cathedral ahead of his wedding | PAHarry has not seen King Charles since February last year, when he flew over after the Palace confirmed the King’s cancer diagnosis. He is expected to return next month for the WellChild awards, though it remains unclear if he will reunite with his father.
Speaking to the BBC in May, Harry said: “There is no point continuing to fight any more. Of course, some members of my family will never forgive me for writing a book. Of course, they will never forgive lots of things. But I would love a reconciliation.”
He added: “I don’t know how much longer my father has. He won’t speak to me.”
GB News has contacted a spokesperson for the Duke of Westminster for comment.