JUST Stop Oil idiots have attempted to disrupt the Duke of Westminster’s wedding this afternoon.
The Duke and Duchess of Westminster departed Chester Cathedral when two activists used fire extinguishers to let off their signature orange smoke.
One of the women was heard to say “Just Stop Oil” as the device was released at around 12.30pm after the newlyweds kissed for the crowds.
A woman was removed from the crowd by police.
The Prince of Wales, who was the groom’s usher, is understood to have been just yards away from the fire extinguisher-type device.
Barbara Williams, 81, from Cheshire, who was standing next to the protesters in the crowd, said: “I feel a bit shaken after it.
“We were standing next to them all day.”
Her friend Andrea Machin, 56, added: “They were already here when we arrived at 7am, they had shopping trolleys with them.
“Everyone was watching the bride and groom and then we just saw orange and they had what looked like a fire extinguisher with them.
“The police realised quite quickly what was happening and pulled them out.
“One of them said it was for her grandchildren. It happened just as William was coming out of the door.”
Rhona Dalziel, 57, said: “One of them had been reading a Richard Osman book. It’s bizarre.”
A spokesman for Cheshire Police said: “Shortly after 1pm on Friday a coloured flare was released by two women, believed to be protesting on behalf of Just Stop Oil, on St Werberg Street, Chester.
“Officers were immediately on the scene and two women were quickly arrested on suspicion of public order offences.
“The 69-year-old woman from Manchester and 73-year-old woman from Suffolk are both in police custody at this time.”
Prince William, a close friend of duke Hugh Grosvenor, went through a side entrance of Chester Cathedral, out of the view of many of the crowds on Friday morning, ahead of the ceremony at midday.
Members of the public began arriving outside the cathedral to catch a glimpse of the event from early in the morning bringing camping chairs and picnics.
The bride’s veil blew in the wind as she arrived at the cathedral to the cheers of the public.
She arrived with her father in a vintage Bentley, originally made for the car manufacturer’s founder in 1930, while the groom arrived in a green Land Rover Defender.
Around 400 guests, including Princess Eugenie, were brought to the venue in coaches.
The Duke of Sussex was not there after it was mutually agreed he would not attend, amid a long-running rift with his brother.
Guests did not include the King, the groom’s godfather, the Queen or the Princess of Wales, who has been out of the spotlight as she undergoes treatment for cancer.
The Duke of Westminster is godfather to William’s son, Prince George, and also, reportedly, to Harry’s son Prince Archie.
The wedding was officiated by the Dean of Chester, the Very Revd Dr Tim Stratford and the service was sung by the Chester Cathedral Choir, accompanied by a group of musicians from North West England.
Who are the bride & groom?
Hugh Grosvenor was once dubbed “Britain’s most eligible bachelor” owing to his billions in the bank and royal connections. But he has been swept off his feet by the future duchess.
The 33-year-old is a British aristocrat and businessman.
He was born Hugh Richard Louis Grosvenor on January 29, 1991, to Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster, and his wife Natalia Phillips.
He is close friends with royals, including Prince William, Prince Harry and Kate Middleton.
He studied at Newcastle University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Countryside Management.
Olivia Henson was born on September 1, 1992, in London, which makes her 31.
During her childhood, she attended Marlborough College, the same school as the Princess of Wales.
Their wedding was announced in April 2023 and she will become the new Duchess of Westminster.
The couple met in 2021 through friends and dated for two years.
The Duke proposed to her at Eaton Hall, his sprawling family estate in Cheshire.
Before he started dating Olivia, Hugh was in an on-off relationship with Harriet Tomlinson for several years.
The pair met at college and split up, only to get back together on numerous occasions.
The people of Chester were offered free ice creams in honour of the occasion after the couple teamed up with three independent businesses to provide the treats.
The Duke of Westminster topped The Sunday Times 40 Under 40 Rich List earlier this year boasting a fortune of £10.1 billion.
His bride, who grew up in London and Oxfordshire, has worked in the sustainable food and drinks industry, most recently at London-based artisanal food company Belazu.
The couple are said to have chosen the wedding venue for its beauty and because of the personal connection to the duke, whose family home Eaton Hall is nearby.
William and Harry were both ushers at the wedding of his sister Lady Tamara Grosvenor at the cathedral in 2004.