Royal guests, members of the Grosvenor family and many other VIPs and well wishers are in Chester for the Duke of Westminster's memorial service.

It has been a significant day for the city centre, which has been dominated by preparations for the memorial service for the late Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor.

It began with much of the city being cordoned off as security was visibly tightened with the arrival of armed police hours before the service at Chester Cathedral was due to get under way.

In pictures: The Duke's memorial service

Crowds began to gather from about noon onwards with the Town Hall Square, St Werburgh Street and Eastgate Street the main focus of attention.

There was a particularly large gathering outside The Grosvenor Hotel where many of the guests were rumoured to be staying.

Everyone's patience was eventually rewarded when the Grosvenor family themselves, including the new Duke Hugh Grosvenor, arrived to enter the Cathedral together.

Around the same time, the first royals emerged as Prince and Princess Michael of Kent were welcomed by the Chester faithful.

Not long after, there were cheers to be heard around the Cathedral as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made it a day to remember for all royal watchers in the city.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall arriving for a memorial service to celebrate the life of the sixth Duke of Westminster at Chester Cathedral. Photo: Peter Byrne/PA Wire
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall arriving for a memorial service to celebrate the life of the sixth Duke of Westminster at Chester Cathedral. Photo: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

But there was more to follow.

Tthe final guests to arrive before the service got under way were Charles and Camilla, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, who enjoyed a quick chat with the Dean of Chester, the Very Rev Dr Gordon McPhate, before entering the historic building.

The huge doors of Chester Cathedral closed behind them to leave the crowds waiting patiently for the guests to leave at the end of the hour-long service, at 3pm.