Princess Beatrice marries fiance Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in secret ceremony with Queen's blessings amid lockdown
Princess Beatrice has tied the knot with Italian property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in a secret ceremony at Windsor Castle. Earlier, the eldest daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York, was due to marry Mozzi at St James' Palace in London on May 29, but due to the Covid-19 lockdown, the wedding was delayed, and no new date was given by the palace at the time.
According to reports, the lovebirds got married on July 17 at the Royal Chapel of All Saints, on the grounds of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's home of Royal Lodge, in Windsor Great Park. The Queen and Prince Philip were both present at the ceremony to wish the newly married couple. Photos from the wedding ceremony have shown the 94-year-old in green as she left Royal Lodge. Reports also claimed that Beatrice has invited both her parents — Andrew and Sarah — for the intimate affair. However, it is not confirmed if her younger sister Princess Eugenie and brother-in-law Jack Brooksbank were also present.
This comes after an insider in April claimed that Beatrice has a great plan to boost Britain's morale that was down owing to the coronavirus pandemic — an even bigger wedding for her and Mozzi. "As the granddaughter of the Queen, it seems unfair that Bea would have had to hide her nuptials from the public when her younger sister Eugenie did not have to. Eugenie's wedding was televised and watched by three million viewers in the UK alone," the insider said at the time.
"Beatrice and Eugenie's profiles and workload will increase after the departure of Harry and Meghan. Beatrice wants to show the public that she will never shirk her civic duties. She wants the public to see her as an individual, and not to be judged for the mistakes of her father," the source said pointing towards the earlier reports that claimed that the 31-year-old’s father's scandal may force her to have a low-key marriage in a "secluded castle or overseas".
Andrew has been engulfed in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. He was also fired by the Queen after he defied the palace's advice and went public with his links to disgraced billionaire pedophile. "By next year, it would be wonderful if she could hold her head up high as she walks down the aisle in front of hundreds of people," the source mentioned, suggesting that St George's Chapel, Windsor, which can accommodate 800 guests, would be the obvious choice for the ceremony.
In April, another report said that Beatrice and her fiance were quarantining together. She chose to stay with Mozzi as he co-parents his four-year-old son Christopher "Wolfie" with his ex-girlfriend Dara Huang. It was said at the time that Wolfie will be his best man making him the youngest person ever in history to have the role at a royal wedding.