Charles and Camilla 'could miss wedding of the year' after invite snub

King Charles and Queen Camilla are reportedly yet to RSVP to what's being dubbed the "wedding of the year", with the event just three weeks away.

The Royal couple have not confirmed their attendance at the upcoming nuptials of the Duke of Westminster, Hugh Grosvenor, and his fiancee Olivia Henson, sparking rumours of a rift between the families. This follows an incident in 2004 when the King and Queen declined an invitation to the wedding of the Duke's sister, Lady Tamara Grosvenor.

Lady Grosvenor wed Edward van Custem, a godson of His Majesty, at Chester Cathedral - the same venue chosen for this year's wedding. At the time, Camilla, then known as Parker Bowles, was informed she would not be seated with Prince Charles and would need to arrive separately, reports the Mirror.

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This was due to the presence of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, along with Princes William and Harry. MailOnline's Royal correspondent Richard Eden quoted a source saying: "Their Majesties have not forgotten what happened at the wedding of Hugh's sister. There is still a lot of tension that exists."

Royal author Sarah Bradford revealed that the Queen was so incensed she informed Charles that the current situation was untenable. An insider at the time disclosed: "Her Majesty is a stickler for protocol. It would be inappropriate for Mrs Parker Bowles to sit beside Prince Charles since she has no official standing."

The atmosphere was further strained by allegations that Emilie van Cutsem, mother of the groom, and Camilla had a falling out over purported criticisms of each other's children's conduct. With only days left before the event, Charles withdrew, citing a need to visit Warminster barracks to meet with families of soldiers stationed in Iraq, while his companion was said to be "otherwise engaged".

Despite Hugh being rumoured to be godfather to their son Archie, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been notably left off the guest list for next month's wedding. The duke is thought to believe that inviting the couple, who apparently received a save-the-date email mistakenly, might provoke discord within the Royal Family.

A Sussex source later stated: "Harry called Hugh and said it would be too awkward if he and Meghan Markle attended, so he made his apologies and Hugh understood."

The Prince and Princess of Wales are expected to attend Hugh's wedding, along with their eldest son, Prince George, who is also Hugh's godson. However, Catherine is unlikely to be present as she is currently receiving treatment for cancer.

Buckingham Palace has chosen not to issue a statement on the matter.