Prince William's year has been off to a busy start, with a variety of U.K. engagements and a trip to Estonia scheduled. But when he's not carrying out royal duties or spending time with his young family, the Prince of Wales enjoys friendships with a close circle of longtime confidantes. On March 12, the prince went wild over Aston Villa's win with Princess Charlotte's godfather Thomas van Straubenzee and their close friend Edward van Cutsem. But it was another pal from their group who made news this week after making a happy announcement—and Prince William could be getting the title of godfather.
A spokesperson for Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster, announced on March 12, "The Duke and Duchess of Westminster are very pleased to share that the Duchess is expecting a baby in the summer. The couple are delighted with the news and are very much looking forward to starting a family together."
The Duke of Westminster has been friends with Prince William and Prince Harry for many years and is a godfather to both Prince George and Prince Archie—making it extremely likely that the Prince of Wales will make the cut when it comes to the list of baby Westminster's godparents.
The Duke of Westminster (center) has been a longtime friend of Prince William.
The Duke and Duchess of Westminster married on June 7, 2024.
Prince William served as an usher at the couple's wedding.
In fact, Grosvenor has his own royal godparent; his godfather is none other than The King. The royal ties don't end there, however, as the Duke of Westminster's mother is one of Prince William's godmothers.
Grosvenor married his wife Olivia Henson at Chester Cathedral on June 7, 2024, with Prince William serving as an usher at his close friend's wedding. Prince Harry didn't attend the ceremony, with a source telling People at the time that there was "an understanding between the two friends" that it would have been difficult for him to be at the ceremony for numerous reasons.
In addition to his ongoing security concerns in the U.K., the Duke of Sussex could have drawn uncomfortable attention considering his brother's duty as an usher.
As for the new Westminster baby, he or she will be born into quite an impressive family. Before his marriage, Grosvenor was considered to be the most eligible bachelor in Britain thanks to his fortune and title. In fact, he was named the richest person in the U.K. under age 40 on the Sunday Times 2024 rich list with a staggering fortune of $13 billion, making him even wealthier than any members of the Royal Family.
