THE Prince of Wales has decided not to attend the wedding of his godson in what is being billed as the society event of the year, it emerged yesterday.

The lavish ceremony will take place at Chester Cathedral this Saturday between Lady Tamara Katherine Grosvenor, eldest daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Westminster, and Edward Van Cutsem, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Hugh Van Cutsem.

But the Prince and Camilla Parker Bowles are to miss the event which is expected have a guest list, including the Queen and Princes William and Harry.

It was reported yesterday that the reason for the Prince's absence was because Mrs Parker Bowles would have had to sit several rows behind him at the service rather than next to him.

But yesterday Clarence House said Prince Charles has decided not to attend because he is keen to take the earliest opportunity to visit the families of soldiers in the Black Watch regiment serving in Iraq instead.

Charles, who is Colonel in Chief of the Black Watch (Royal Highland) Regiment, will visit the wives, husbands and children of the British troops serving in Iraq on Saturday in Warminster.

An 850-strong Black Watch battlegroup began arriving at the Camp Dogwood base south of the capital Baghdad on Friday.

They are due to begin patrolling soon, blocking off exit routes from Fallujah and releasing US forces for the anticipated all-out assault on the rebel city.

A spokeswoman for the Prince said last night that as a result of this engagement the Prince would miss the wedding.

She said: "The Prince has been abroad for the last two Saturdays as part of his autumn foreign tour, and this Saturday is a day he can support the soldiers' families."

Mrs Parker Bowles has declined to attend in the Prince's absence.

Some 650 guests are expected to attend the wedding and several roads will be closed near the cathedral where the service will take place.

Cheshire Police said road closures will apply to vehicles only and not to pedestrians.

All city centre shops and businesses will be open as normal.

A police control room will be set up in Chester to oversee the police operation, which has been named Operation Aisle. Any costs above normal policing will be met by the Grosvenor Estate.

Barriers will be placed near to Chester Cathedral to allow members of the public to watch the arrival and departure of guests.

The Duke of Westminster is one of the country's wealthiest peers and largest landowners. A magnificent firework display is to be held at his family home Eaton Hall in Cheshire on the evening of the wedding day.

* CAMILLA Parker Bowles last night attended a book launch for her son Tom - but the Prince of Wales had to miss the party in Kensington, London, because of duties abroad.

The Prince had been expected to attend, but flew instead to the United Arab Emirates to offer condolences to the family of President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who died on Tuesday, aged 86.

liammurphy@dailypost.co.uk