2024 is set to be THE year for high society nuptials
by Jessica Green For Mailonline · Mail OnlineFrom Prince George's godfather to the King of Norway's daughter, a host of royals, well-connected socialites and aristocrats are tying the knot in 2024.
The next 12 months look set to be a bumper year for high-society nuptials, with Princess Märtha Louise, Hugh Grosvenor's fiancée Olivia Henson and the granddaughter of the last Shah of Iran all preparing to walk down the aisle.
Elsewhere, Prince Abdul Mateen of Brunei, the son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, will wed his partner Anisha Isa Kalebic in an lavish 10-day ceremony in the New Year.
Princess Beatrice’s husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi's half-brother Albemarle ‘Alby’ Shale, meanwhile, announced his engagement to partner Chelsea in September. The couple could be set for a 2024 wedding.
From bona fide royalty to aristocratic socialites, here are the details of the weddings worth swooning over this year.
Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and Durek Verrett
When: 31 August 2024
Where: Union Hotel in Geiranger
Princess Märtha Louise - the daughter of King Harald of Norway and Queen Sonja and fourth in line to the Norwegian throne - decided to step back from royal duties in November 2022 in a move labelled Norway's 'Megxit'.
The princess, who describes herself as 'spiritual' and claims to be a clairvoyant, quit her royal role to work alongside her self-proclaimed 'shaman' fiancé.
She is set to marry Durek Verrett at the Union Hotel in Geiranger on August 31 2024, the couple announced on Instagram in September.
Posting an identical professional snap of themselves on their social media accounts, the couple said they were 'extremely happy' to have found their wedding venue - while Verrett referred to the princess as his 'goddess'.
READ MORE: Shaman Durek Verrett claims Princess Martha was able to foresee his plans for proposing thanks to her 'spiritual powers'
The announcement comes after several years of difficulty for the Norwegian royals which culminated in Martha Louise's decision to step down as a working member of the family - which she revealed has been filled with 'turmoil'.
Eyebrows were raised when the princess first began dating Verrett, who holds some controversial and pseudoscientific views, including that cancer in children can be caused by 'being unhappy'.
Announcing the wedding venue for next year's ceremony on Instagram, Verrett posted a professional photo in which the couple look loved-up, with himself dressed in a pink tuxedo with a sparkling button, while Martha opted for a flowing white, Grecian-style dress.
He wrote: 'My beloved Princess Märtha Louise and I are happy to announce our upcoming wedding at the Union Hotel in Geiranger in Norway on August 31st 2024. '
Verrett went on to explain the hotel is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which 'represents Norway’s rich culture and striking nature'.
He continued: 'Märtha and I are extremely happy to celebrate our love in Geiranger’s beautiful surroundings.
'It means a lot to us to gather family and friends in a place so rich in Norwegian history and with such a spectacular nature surrounding our big moment. Geiranger is the perfect place to embrace our love.'
Princess Martha posted a near-identical announcement on her Instagram profile which accompanied the same photo.
As the couple plan their big day, the dust appears to have settled among the Norwegian Royal Family following Princess Martha's decision to step down.
In an interview with the BBC earlier this year, she praised her parents, King Harald an Queen Sonja, for keeping the dialogue open while she made her decision and they worked out the details about how the arrangements would work.
When asked about her decision in comparison with Harry and Meghan, who also stepped down as senior royals, she spoke about her 'amazing' family, including King Harald and Queen Sonja, and how the dialogue between them has always remained open.
'What I think has been amazing through this whole cycle has been the conversations we have had through it all,' she said.
'From a very young age I remember my mum and dad saying (the King and Queen saying) that we always have to stick together. We always have to talk things through even if it's hard, we have to put all the cards on the table because we are family and we have to work things through.'
The Norwegian royal also discussed how her fiancé's controversial 'views' had contributed to how the public viewed her position in the royal family.
She said: 'The Norwegian people I guess... have decided it's best for me to step down because of his views about things.'
Durek, who describes himself as a 'Shaman', was dropped by his publisher shortly after the couple announced their engagement in June 2022 over pseudoscientific claims he made in his book 'Spirit Hacking'.
Among the claims were that children 'can get cancer from being unhappy'.
Durek has also claimed he once came back from the dead, recovering from a month-long coma, by letting his soul 'burn' and he has also spoken of having to undergo a kidney transplant from his sister as a child.
It is unclear why he needed the kidney or how he became wheelchair bound, as he has described. The illness which sent him into a coma is also undisclosed.
Hugh Grosvenor and Olivia Henson
When: 7 June 2024
Where: Chester Cathedral
Billionaire aristocrat the Duke of Westminster, who is Prince George's godfather, announced his engagement to his girlfriend of two years in April this year.
Hugh Grosvenor, 32, who is thought to own more land than the King, proposed to Olivia Henson at his family seat, Eaton Hall in Cheshire.
The aristocrat, who inherited his title and estate from his father, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, the sixth Duke of Westminster, upon his death in 2016 released a statement about the happy news.
It read: 'The Duke of Westminster and Miss Olivia Henson are delighted to announce they are engaged to be married.
'The couple, who have been together for two years, recently became engaged at the Duke's family home at Eaton Hall in Cheshire. Members of both their families are absolutely delighted with the news.
'Hugh Grosvenor, The Duke of Westminster, is Grosvenor's Chair as well as Chair of the Westminster Foundation. Miss Henson works for Belazu, a B-Corp certified food company based in London.'
The Duke's father Gerald Grosvenor suffered a sudden heart attack while out on a country walk, and died aged 64 in 2016.
Hugh succeeded his father, becoming an instant billionaire. As the 7th Duke of Westminster, he inherited a fortune of £9.3billion.
He also inherited 300 acres across London's Mayfair and Belgravia – two of the most expensive areas in the world – as well as estates in Oxford, Scotland and properties around the globe - including the 10,872-acre family estate at Eaton Hall in Cheshire.
Close friends with the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke is the youngest of Prince George's godparents.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's absence from the guest list for the high society nuptials at Chester Cathedral attracted significant interest recently, not least because the Duke of Sussex and Hugh are childhood friends.
READ MORE: Who is Hugh Grosvenor, Duke of Westminster?
Hugh, who invited the Prince and Princess of Wales, was said to have wanted to ask the Sussexes too but decided against it to avoid clashes on his big day between the warring royal brothers.
He was also believed to be mindful of a row that complicated his sister's wedding at the same venue in 2004, when Camilla Parker Bowles was invited but told to sit away from Prince Charles to avoid the Queen seeing them together.
However, a different account later emerged in Page Six, with an insider claiming that Harry had been sent a 'save the date' for the wedding only for the prince to phone Hugh and tell him it would be 'too awkward' for him and Meghan to attend.
'Harry actually got a ''save the date'' card a few months ago but called Hugh and said it would be too awkward if he and Meghan Markle attended, so he made his apologies and Hugh understood,' the Sussex insider was quoted as saying.
Hugh is to marry his partner at Chester Cathedral on June 7. The King, Queen, Prince and Princess of Wales and Prince George, who is the Duke's godson, are all invited.
But Hugh was worried about anything 'overshadowing' the day, a friend of Harry and William said.
'Hugh is one of very few close friends of William and Harry's who has maintained strong bonds and a line of communication with both,' the friend told the Times.
'He wishes they could put their heads together and patch things up, but realises it's unlikely to happen before the wedding. He wanted to avoid anything overshadowing the day, especially for Olivia, and doesn't want any awkwardness.'
A spokesman for the Duke said: 'We are not in a position to comment on the guest list.' Buckingham Palace also declined to comment.
Prince Abdul Mateen of Brunei and Anisha Isa Kalebic
When: January 2024
Where: TBC
In October, the Sultan of Brunei announced that his son, Prince Abdul Mateen, will marry Anisha Isa Kalebic in January 2024.
Prince Abdul Mateen, 32, is the son of The Sultan and his former second wife Hajah Miriam Abdul Aziz.
He is the youngest of three siblings to get married, following his two older sisters Princess Fadzilah and Princess Azemah, who tied the knot in January 2022 and January 2023 respectively.
'By the royal command of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah of Brunei Darussalam, the palace has announced the upcoming wedding of His Royal Highness Prince Abdul Mateen and Anisha Isa Kalebic will be held from 7 to 16 January 2024,' read an official announcement.
The celebration will start with the proposal of marriage ceremony to receive the Royal Command, followed by performances from royal court musicians to officially mark the beginning of the wedding.
The matrimony will be solemnised at the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque on January 11.
After this, the royal wedding reception will be held, featuring an opulent banquet attended by guests from across the globe.
Alby Shale and Chelsea Peters
When: TBC
Where: TBC
Earlier this year, Albemarle ‘Alby’ Shale - the godson of Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York - got engaged to a woman called Chelsea Peters.
Alby is the son of Nicola Williams-Ellis, who is also the mother of Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, husband of Fergie’s daughter Princess Beatrice.
Alby’s father, Christopher Shale, who died at Glastonbury Festival in 2011, was a close associate of former prime minister David Cameron.
‘I am so delighted and proud of my godson,’ the Duchess told The Daily Mail's Richard Eden.
‘His father would be skipping with joy and happiness. Alby and Chelsea are a superb couple. Chelsea is magical and I wish them all the happiness for their future.’
Elsewhere, property mogul Edo, 39, took to Instagram to celebrate the happy news of his New York-based, half-brother Alby's engagement to his fiancée Chelsea.
The caption also hinted towards Edo's feelings for Beatrice as he wrote: 'Finding that special someone is truly the greatest blessing in life.'
Edo's post showed Alby as he smiled behind his partner while donning a shirt with the top buttons casually undone. Chelsea shared a big grin while leaning on the shoulder of her fiancé.
She sported a metallic strappy top with a pair of tortoise-shell shades. Alby, who maintains a low profile, is a social entrepreneur and founder of Life is Meeting.
In the caption, Edo gushed over his 'little bro Alby' and said: 'Your engagement news fills my heart with so much happiness.'
The caption read: 'So happy for my little bro Alby and Chelsea! Finding that special someone is truly the greatest blessing in life. Your engagement news fills my heart with so much happiness.
'Wishing you both a lifetime of love, laughter, and endless adventures!'
Iman Pahlavi and Bradley Sherman
When: TBC
Where: TBC
This year, Princess Iman Pahlavi - the granddaughter of the last Shah of Iran - got engaged to her boyfriend of three years.
In loved-up photos shared in August, the royal, 29, appeared full of joy with her fiance Bradley Sherman, who seemed to have organised a romantic beach proposal.
Shots of the tender moment showed Bradley down on one knee, surrounded by torches and flower petals, as a visibly emotional Iman covered her face in surprise.
Other snaps pictured them embracing by the shore, and posing with family members including her parents Yasmine Pahlavi and Reza Pahlavi - the former Crown Prince of Iran - and her sisters Noor and Farah.
'Our sweet Iman got engaged this weekend,' Yasmine wrote in a joint Instagram post with her husband.
'She and Bradley have been dating for three years. We’ve watched their relationship blossom and are so happy that they have made a commitment to share their lives together.'
According to Town&Country Magazine, Iman is currently understood to be working at American Express and both reside in New York City.
The couple first met in 2017 through mutual friends, EUROdayFR reports, and are understood to have moved in together during the Covid-19 pandemic. The outlet also says Bradley is originally from Chicago.
While details of the upcoming nuptials are yet to emerge, Iman's family has a history of elaborate celebrations.
In 1959, her grandfather Mohammad Reza Shah - the last Shah of Iran - had a lavishly memorable wedding to the 21-year-old Farah Diba, while he was 40.
As a young Queen of Iran, Farah's December 1959 wedding was the object of much curiosity and received worldwide press attention.
Her gown was designed by Yves Saint Laurent, then a designer at the house of Dior, and she wore the newly commissioned Noor-ol-Ain Diamond tiara.
Louisa Wentworth-Stanley and Ludovic de Ferranti
When: TBC
Where: TBC
Louisa Wentworth-Stanley is engaged to Ludovic de Ferranti, the founder of a gold mining business.
‘The whole family is thrilled,’ one of their friends told The Daily Mail's Richard Eden in January 2023.
The couple could exchange vows at the Hampshire estate of Ludovic’s father, businessman Adrian de Ferranti.
He once caused a stir when he erected a 9ft-tall nude sculpture of the Ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes in the grounds. Some neighbours claimed it was offensive and could cause a car crash.