Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi had been planning their wedding since getting engaged in Italy in September 2019. The date was set for 29 May 2020, two months after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, but they shocked fans by throwing a last-minute socially-distanced ceremony in Windsor on 17 July 2020.
This saw the couple - who are now parents to daughter Sienna - choose an unconventional venue miles from their planned ceremony at St James's Palace, a borrowed wedding dress, recycled heels, and a tiny guest list that included a special role for Edoardo's son Wolfie. Take a peek inside their very secret wedding…
The intimate wedding ceremony
Princess Beatrice and Edoardo were married in a small family ceremony on Friday 17 July. The nuptials took place at The Royal Chapel of All Saints at Royal Lodge, Windsor, with the kind permission of Her Majesty The Queen.
The couple decided to hold a private ceremony with their parents and siblings following the postponement of their wedding in May. Working within government guidelines, the service was in keeping with the unique circumstances while enabling them to celebrate their wedding with their closest family.
Altered wedding dress from Queen Elizabeth
Beatrice loaned a vintage dress from her late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, designed by Norman Hartnell, who was also responsible for her great aunt Princess Margaret's wedding dress. The dress was made from Peau De Soie taffeta in shades of ivory, trimmed with ivory Duchess satin, and features included organza sleeves, diamanté details and a geometric checkered bodice. It was remodelled and fitted by Her Majesty's dresser Angela Kelly and loyal dressmaker Stewart Parvin.
Following her big day, Beatrice wrote on Instagram: "Edo and I are so excited to embark on this new chapter together," adding: "It was an honour to wear my grandmother’s beautiful dress on my wedding day, I hope many of you are able to visit the exhibition which is still open at Windsor Castle.”
She teamed it with sparkly nude Valentino heels she had previously worn to two other royal weddings - the Prince and Princess of Wales' wedding in 2011 and Prince Amedeo of Belgium and Elisabetta Maria Rosboch von Wolkenstein's nuptials in 2014.
Sentimental royal wedding tiara
The bride wore the Queen Mary diamond fringe tiara, also on loan from Her Majesty. The tiara was worn by the former monarch on her wedding day, when she thought she had broken it hours before walking down the aisle with Prince Philip. While attending an exhibition of the Princess of Wales' wedding dress in 2018, she explained: "The catch, which I didn't know existed, it suddenly went. And I didn’t know it was a necklace, you see… I thought I'd broken it… We stuck it all together again, but I was rather alarmed."
It was originally made for Queen Mary by Garrard and Co. in 1919, from a diamond necklace given by Queen Victoria for her wedding.
Unconventional wedding ring
British jeweller Shaun Leane not only created the royal's engagement ring, which his website explained was a "fusion of Victorian and Art Deco designs", but also the accompanying wedding ring so they fit together seamlessly. In a statement, Shaun said: "I am thrilled for the happy couple, it warms my heart to see two wonderful people unite in love as much as Edoardo and Beatrice do. I feel very honoured to have been a part of their journey and to have been involved in the very special moments of designing and creating the engagement ring and wedding ring. I wish them a lifetime of love and happiness together."
Sarah Ferguson's daughter's decision to have a platinum and diamond ring was a departure from royal tradition, in which brides such as Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Eugenie and Meghan Markle have had bands crafted from a nugget of pure Welsh gold from the Clogau St David's gold mine. Meanwhile, Edoardo's ring is a vintage gold band designed by Josh Collins.
Colourful wedding bouquet
Beatrice carried a bouquet of trailing jasmine, pale pink and cream sweet peas, royal porcelain ivory spray roses, pink O’Hara garden roses, pink wax flowers and baby pink astilbe. In keeping with royal tradition sprigs of myrtle were included in the arrangement. The bouquet was made by Patrice Van Helden Oakes, co-owner of RVH Floral Design and the sister of floral designer Rob Van Helden, who also put together her sister Princess Eugenie's flowers in 2018.
Van Helden told Town & Country: "To be asked to create a Royal bouquet is the greatest honor. To be asked again was beyond!! I hope we did [Princess Beatrice] proud."
Beatrice and Edoardo were both involved in choosing their church flowers, with an overall theme of "natural" and "vintage." "They wanted to keep it natural, with dusky pink roses, British flowers and a vintage look," the floral designer said.
The couple thanked the gardening teams at The Savill Garden and Windsor Great Park. As is royal tradition, Beatrice's bouquet was placed on the tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey.
Socially-distanced service
The ceremony was officiated by The Reverend Canon Paul Wright, Sub-Dean of the Chapel Royal and The Reverend Canon Martin Poll, Domestic Chaplain to Her Majesty. In line with government guidelines, all social distancing measures were adhered to.
The service included two of the couple's favourite poems, read by their mothers, prayers and a biblical reading. These were; Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare; 'I Carry You in My Heart' by E.E. Cummings; and St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians Chapter 13, verses 1-13. In accordance with government guidelines, no hymns were sung, but a selection of music was played. The National Anthem was played but not sung.
Wedding guests
The ceremony was attended by fewer than 20 guests, including "close family" such as the late Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the couple's parents and siblings. Beatrice was walked down the aisle by her father, Prince Andrew, while Edoardo's son Wolfie, whom he shares with his ex Dara Huang, was the best man and pageboy.
Edoardo also invited his niece and nephew, Coco and Freddie, the children of his sister Natalia Yeomans, who took on the role of bridesmaid and pageboy alongside Wolfie.
Rare wedding photographs
The newlyweds released two photographs of their wedding day. The photographs were taken by Benjamin Wheeler. One image shows the couple leaving the church following the service while a second photo sees Beatrice and her new husband standing near the Queen and Prince Philip.
When Princess Eugenie congratulated her sister on her pregnancy news, she decided to share a previously unseen photograph from Beatrice's nuptials. The newlyweds are seen clasping hands and beaming at the camera, standing outside of their picture-perfect wedding venue.
Beatrice's handwritten notes
Following their big day, the Princess sent out heartwarming hand-written thank you cards to well-wishers. Royal fan account, the Duchess of Wonderland, shared a photo of the contents, and the message read: "Thank you so much for the wonderful note you so kindly sent to us on the occasion of our wedding this summer at Royal Lodge. Edo and I had a magical day filled with special moments with our families.
"We are so grateful to all those who have worked hard to protect our communities over the last few months, we owe them so much. Thank you for thinking of us as we begin our married life. Beatrice and Edo x."
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