Prince William had a near miss Friday afternoon at Britain's society wedding of the year when climate activist group Just Stop Oil staged an act of protest.
Two women set off a fire extinguisher filled with orange powder paint as Hugh Grosvenor and Olivia Henson, the new Duke and Duchess of Westminster, exited Chester Cathedral in northwestern England.
The activists' demonstration was missed by only a few seconds by William, who acted as an usher for the groom. Grosvenor is a godson of King Charles and a close family friend of the royals.
Video footage of the protest act shows the heir to the throne had not yet exited the cathedral when the fire extinguisher was set off. William emerged as members of the police escorted the activists out of the crowd, which had waited to see the duke and duchess.
Just Stop Oil has taken credit for the protest, saying that one of the members involved was a 73-year-old care worker identified as Polly.
"Weddings are a time of coming together in celebration to make a commitment to the future. However, for countless millions around the world there is no future unless we come together to stop oil and gas," she said in a press release. "That's why we are demanding that the next UK government work with other countries to phase out fossil fuels by 2030."
The Westminster wedding drew crowds to Chester Cathedral hoping to catch a glimpse of the 33-year-old billionaire groom and his bride.
In 2016, Grosvenor inherited the dukedom of Westminster from his father, along with an estimated fortune of over £8 billion ($10 billion). The aristocrat owns a vast property empire that includes over 300 acres of London's most fashionable residential neighborhoods, Belgravia and Mayfair.
Last year, the duke announced his engagement to Henson, 31, an ethical food company account manager, after dating for two years. The couple's nuptials sparked widespread speculation as to which royals would be included on the guest list.
The duke is godfather to William and Princess Kate's eldest son, Prince George, and is also godfather to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's son, Prince Archie.
Grosvenor has maintained a strong relationship with both princes despite tensions between them. Had they both attended the wedding, it would have marked their first joint event since Charles' coronation in May 2023.
As it was, Harry stayed away from his friend's big day, having discussed logistical difficulties with him beforehand, reports said.
Another notable absentee was Kate, who is continuing her time out of the public eye while she is being treated for cancer, which she disclosed she had in March. The princess has not made an official public appearance since Christmas Day, and Kensington Palace said last month that she would not return to royal work until cleared to do so by her medical team.
King Charles and Queen Camilla were also not present at the wedding. On Thursday, the couple attended events connected with the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in France. The king has only recently been cleared to resume his public-facing duties as he also undergoes treatment for cancer.
The guest list did include William's royal cousin Princess Eugenie, the younger daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson, the Duchess of York.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about Charles and Camilla, William and Princess Kate, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
