It was billed as the society wedding of the decade so when Hugh Grosvenor, the 7th Duke of Westminster, married Olivia Henson on Friday, the great and the good of British society descended on Chester in the north of England suited and booted in morning suits and designer frocks.

While the bride arrived in a vintage Bentley, the groom arrived in a green Land Rover and Prince William, along with some 400 guests, was ferried to the cathedral in blacked-out mini-buses. It had been rumored that William might bring Prince George as his plus-one, however, he attended alone and was seen chatting with his close friend Ed Van Cutsem following the service. Princess Eugenie, William’s cousin, was also in attendance, but King Charles, who is godfather to the groom, was unable to attend having just returned to England following D-Day commemorations in Normandy.

Though there was no balcony for the newlyweds to kiss on (as per royal weddings), a red carpet outside of the cathedral sufficed as after the ceremony, the couple kissed for the cameras in the press pen.

Olivia, 31, looked dazzling in a bespoke gown by designer Emma Victoria Payne which was adorned with hand-drawn embroidery featuring an extravagant floral motif. The veil also featured edgings from Olivia’s great-great-grandmother's veil from around 1880. She topped the look with the Faberge Myrtle Leaf Tiara, which was created specifically for the Grosvenor dynasty in 1906, and has been tiara which has been worn by generations of Grosvenors and brides marrying into the family. In a nod to the tradition of wearing something blue, the bride donned a pair of blue shoes.

Many locals had gathered to see the couple emerge from the cathedral and the sunny weather ensured a decent turnout. The duke arranged for complimentary ice cream, gelato and sorbet from three local independent cafés so that those who wished could join in the celebration. However, there was a brief interruption when protestors from the extremist group Just Stop Oil set off a fire extinguisher in the crowd as the wedding party emerged from the cathedral. They were restrained by police with no further action required.

This evening, the newlyweds will host a lavish reception at the Duke’s estate Eaton Hall located just outside Chester.