royal weddings

Royal weddings rewritten by COVID-19: Princess Beatrice, Princess Diana's niece, James Middleton, more

From postponements to amendments, here's how they got around the pandemic

Senior Health & Fitness Writer
February 9, 2021

Royal weddings are one of the most anticipated events of the year, but even the royals aren't immune to the effects of COVID-19. From postponements to a complete redrafting of plans, here are all of the couples whose big days have been affected by the pandemic.

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1. Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi surprised royal fans when they confirmed they had secretly married at the Royal Chapel of All Saints in the grounds of Beatrice's family home, Royal Lodge Windsor, on 17 July.

The couple had originally been due to marry at the Chapel Royal at St. James's Palace in May, followed by a reception at Buckingham Palace, but had no choice but to amend their plans to comply with the coronavirus restrictions.

MORE: Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi marry in secret royal wedding

READ: Royal wedding countdown - the ones to look forward to in 2021

2. James Middleton and Alizee Thevenet

© Photo: Instagram

Though not technically a member of the royal family, Kate Middleton's brother James has reportedly called off his wedding to fiancée Alizee Thevenet in the wake of coronavirus. The pair were due to exchange vows in the summer of 2020, but apparently decided that it is not practical to throw celebrations amid the coronavirus pandemic, and will revisit their plans once all of their guests are happy and safe to attend.

3. Jérôme d’Ambrosio and Eleonore von Habsburg

Austrian royal Eleonore von Habsburg and Jerome d'Ambrosio got married on 20 July 2020 in Monaco in a civil ceremony respecting COVID-19 restrictions.

The event was attended only by their closest family members, after which a larger group of guests were invited to toast the couple at a socially distanced lunch. As soon as restrictions are lifted, the bride and groom plan to celebrate a larger church wedding as planned.

4. Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark and Matthew Kumar

© Photo: Instagram

Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark and her husband-to-be American lawyer, Matthew Kumar, were set to marry in May 2020 on the Greek island of Spetses. Nonetheless, a statement was released confirming that the couple had been forced to put their plans on hold as a result of the pandemic. On their would-have-been wedding day, Princess Theodora took to Instagram to share their replacement celebrations – an ode to Theodora's Greek heritage complete with Greek food, and decorations in Greek's national colours, white and blue.

5. Flora Ogilvy and Timothy Vesterberg

Princess Alexandra's granddaughter Flora Ogilvy married financier Timothy Vesterberg at the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace, London in September 2020, where Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi were originally set to say 'I do'. Lockdown restrictions had eased at the time, but the couple were still only able to invite a select few close family and friends to the event.

6. Prince Philippos and Nina Flohr

Princess Diana's godson, Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark, married Nina Flohr in a surprise royal wedding in December 2020. Just two witnesses were present at the ceremony: Nina's father, Thomas Flohr, and Prince Philippo's father, King Constantine of Greece. A statement was released following their nuptials confirming that "immediate family" also congratulated the newlyweds after the ceremony, while "more details about the upcoming religious wedding will be given in due course".

7. Princess Raiyah of Jordan and Ned Donovan

© Photo: Twitter

Princess Raiyah bint Al-Hussein tied the knot with British-born journalist Ned Donovan in a socially-distanced ceremony in England in July 2020. She revealed that they had to cancel their original wedding plans and said: "Thank you for all of your kind messages on our wedding! While it was originally planned for April in Jordan, the pandemic derailed those plans and it was safer for my husband's family to hold it in the UK. God willing we look forward to celebrating in Jordan once the situation allows."

8. Princess Eeuphelma of Bhutan and Dasho Thinlay Norbu

Princess Eeuphelma Choden Wangchuck of Bhutan and Dasho Thinlay Norbu married in October 2020. Little details were released, but the ceremony had a limited guestlist. 

9. Lady Amelia Spencer and Greg Mallett

© Photo: Instagram

Princess Diana's niece Lady Amelia Spencer, and fiancé, Greg Mallett, got engaged in the summer of 2020. She has since spoken out about her hopes to tie the knot at her Aunt's childhood home, Althorp House, and told Tatler: "It's our family home, it's beautiful. We would be very lucky to get married there." Should the couple hope to marry soon after the current lockdown, they will likely be required to stick to a limited guestlist, too.

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