Why Harry Was Passed Over as Godfather to the Westminster Baby — but William’s in the Running
Royal sources say William is strongly expected to be named for the role, continuing his long-standing connection to the Grosvenor family.
Prince William is reportedly the leading contender to become godfather to Cosima Florence Grosvenor, the newborn daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Westminster. Cosmia was born on July 27 to Hugh Grosvenor and his wife, Olivia. The couple has yet to make any official announcements regarding godparents. However, as per the Daily Express, William is expected to be named for the role, continuing his long-standing connection to the Grosvenor family, while the Duke of Sussex might be snubbed.
William’s close ties to Hugh, one of the richest men in Britain, who is also godfather to Prince George, have become more evident in recent years. William served as an usher at Hugh and Olivia’s high-profile wedding at Chester Cathedral last June 7, almost exactly a year before Cosima's birth. Much to the intrigue of royal observers, Prince Harry was notably absent from the cathedral’s distinguished high-society wedding, despite his longstanding personal connection with Hugh. This absence subtly reinforces speculation that William is favored to assume the role of godfather.
Reports at the time claimed that Harry and Hugh mutually agreed that the Duke would not attend the wedding to avoid any awkwardness, given his estrangement from William, as tensions between the brothers grew. As reported by Hello! magazine, their differing public roles and geographic distance might have also been a factor. William has continued to appear at events with Hugh and his family, most recently spotted with son George and the Grosvenors in the stands at Aston Villa’s Champions League quarter-final match in April.
Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan Markle now live in Montecito, California, where they’re raising their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Notably, both brothers share a history with the Grosvenors. King Charles is Hugh’s godfather, and Hugh’s mother, Natalia, is one of William’s godparents. Hugh and Olivia met through friends, and he proposed to her at Eaton Hall, his family's ancestral seat on the outskirts of Chester. The couple gave back to their hometown before their big day, visiting the children's programs that the Westminster Foundation puts on at Chester Castle, as reported by People magazine.
Interestingly, Hugh serves as godfather to both George and Archie, while Harry has notably not been chosen as a godparent to any of William’s children. George’s godparents include a trusted circle from both William and Kate Middleton’s lives, namely Zara Tindall, Oliver Baker, Julia Samuel, William van Cutsem, Emilia Jardine-Paterson, and Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton.
Neither William nor Harry has made public statements regarding the birth of Cosima, though it’s assumed they’ve conveyed their congratulations privately. A spokesman for the Westminsters said on Sunday: "The Duke and Duchess of Westminster are thrilled to announce the birth of their baby daughter... Both the Duchess and Cosima are doing well. The Duke and Duchess now look forward to spending this special time together as a family."
