Duke and Duchess of Westminster resume duties following arrival of first baby

The Duke and Duchess of Westminster have been away from the public eye since they welcomed their daughter, Cosima, back in July. However, on Friday, the couple made their return to their duties.

The couple headed out to the Chester FC Community Trust, where they heard how the King George V Sports Hub was helping grassroots football and communities in Chester. The work of the organisation is supported by the Duke’s Westminster Foundation, which has donated £520,000 towards its scheme.

The sports hub was opened by the Duke back in 2022, and the facility has now been transformed into one that supports health and wellbeing, sport, education and community development.

During the visit, the Duke and Duchess heard about projects at the site, including the Blacon Youth Hub, a nightclub for youths run on Fridays. Another initiative was the Chester FC Football Education course, which supports 16-18-year-olds into a career within the sports industry.

The couple also watched a match played by the Cheshire Girls Football League, before hearing about how the facility has helped to increase the number of girls playing football across Chester.

Jim Green, the CEO of the Chester FC Community Trust, said of the visit: “We’re incredibly grateful to the Westminster Foundation for the belief, support, and commitment over the five years of this partnership.

“This is a partnership that has created a real legacy, and it was a huge privilege to welcome The Duke and Duchess to the sports hub and to see what we have created together.”

The Duke, whose name is Hugh Grosvenor, has been back at work, and back in January, he donated £250,000 to support Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner to help all state schools in the area deliver phone-free education.

Couple’s baby

The pair welcomed their first child, a daughter named Cosima, on 27 July. A statement released at the time read: “The Duke and Duchess of Westminster are thrilled to announce the birth of their baby daughter.

“They have named her Cosima Florence Grosvenor, who was born in London today, 27 July. Both the Duchess and Cosima are doing well. The Duke and Duchess now look forward to spending this special time together as a family.”

The name Cosima is of Greek and Italian origin, and it carries a beautiful, elegant meaning. The name is derived from the Greek word kosmos (κόσμος), which means order, harmony, or the universe.