Prince William narrowly avoided an incident on Friday afternoon at Britain’s most high-profile wedding of the year when the climate activist group Just Stop Oil staged a protest.

As Hugh Grosvenor and Olivia Henson, the newly titled Duke and Duchess of Westminster, exited Chester Cathedral in northwestern England, two women activists discharged a fire extinguisher filled with orange powder paint.

William, who was serving as an usher for his close friend Grosvenor, missed the protest by mere seconds. Grosvenor, a godson of King Charles and a close family friend of the royals, was not directly affected by the protest either.

Video footage shows that the heir to the throne had not yet left the cathedral when the fire extinguisher was set off. William appeared shortly afterward, while police were escorting the activists out of the crowd that had gathered to see the newlyweds. Just Stop Oil claimed responsibility for the protest, identifying one of the activists as 73-year-old care worker Polly. In a press release, Polly explained the reasoning behind the protest: “Weddings are a time of coming together in celebration to make a commitment to the future. However, for countless millions around the world there is no future unless we come together to stop oil and gas. That’s why we are demanding that the next UK government work with other countries to phase out fossil fuels by 2030.”

The wedding attracted crowds eager to catch a glimpse of the 33-year-old billionaire groom and his 31-year-old bride, an ethical food company account manager. The couple, who announced their engagement last year after dating for two years, sparked widespread speculation about which royals would attend. Grosvenor is godfather to Prince George, the eldest son of William and Princess Kate, as well as Prince Archie, the son of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Despite ongoing tensions between William and Harry, Grosvenor has maintained strong relationships with both princes. If Harry had attended, it would have been their first joint event since King Charles’ coronation in May 2023. However, reports indicated that Harry opted to stay away after discussing logistical challenges with Grosvenor.

Another notable absentee was Kate, who has been out of the public eye since revealing her cancer diagnosis in March. Kensington Palace announced that she would not resume royal duties until cleared by her medical team. King Charles and Queen Camilla were also not present, having attended events in France for the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings. The king, who is also undergoing cancer treatment, has only recently resumed public duties.

Among the guests was William’s cousin Princess Eugenie, the younger daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah “Fergie” Ferguson, the Duchess of York.