Buckingham Palace announced the engagement in September of Princess Beatrice, 31, and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
Has Prince Andrew’s catastrophic Newsnight interview had repercussions for his daughter Princess Beatrice?
I hear that when she marries property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, her wedding will be a much less opulent affair than her sister Princess Eugenie’s nuptials last year.
‘It will be more low key,’ confirms a close friend of the family. ‘Bea and Edo are happy for their wedding to get less attention.’
The ceremony may still be held at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, where Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank, but there will be no carriage procession nor live television coverage — and the couple are also considering a smaller Central London venue.
Eugenie and Jack travelled round Windsor in the Scottish State Coach, pulled by four Windsor Grey horses, following their ceremony, which was broadcast by ITV.
Buckingham Palace announced the engagement in September of Beatrice, 31, and Edo, 37, who has a three-year-old son with his ex-girlfriend, Dara Huang. Officials revealed only that their wedding would take place next year.
Pictured: Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice seen with their father Andrew in June 2016
The ceremony will be attended by the Queen, as well as many famous faces, as Beatrice is a popular figure whose showbusiness pals include pop stars Ed Sheeran, Ellie Goulding and James Blunt.
The example for Beatrice’s wedding to follow is said to be that of Lady Gabriella Windsor, Prince Michael of Kent’s daughter, and businessman Thomas Kingston earlier this year.
Although that ceremony was attended by the Queen and other Royals, the couple merely provided the media with official photographs after the event.
Guests at Bea’s wedding are guaranteed to be in good spirits, as her amiable brother-in-law Jack works for Casamigos, the tequila brand founded by Hollywood star George Clooney and Rande Gerber, husband of supermodel Cindy Crawford.
Pictured: Princess Eugenie of York of York and her husband Jack Brooksbank leave after their wedding at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle in October 2018
The ceremony may still be held at St George’s Chapel (pictured), Windsor, where Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank
‘I’m now Casamigos brand manager for the whole of Europe,’ Jack tells me at a party he co-hosted on Thursday to launch Sam’s Riverside restaurant by Hammersmith Bridge in West London. ‘It means I’m away all the time, travelling.’
He declines to comment on his father-in-law’s troubles. ‘I’ve been in Poland this week so haven’t been following it.’
Sometimes ignorance truly is bliss.
Lizabeth takes the lead in new Di drama
As if there wasn’t enough royal drama in real life, a new television series is being made about the Royal Family.
Called The Windsors, it will be a rival to Netflix hit, The Crown.
I can reveal that Chelsea property developer’s daughter Lizabeth Venezia has been cast as Diana and, as this picture shows, she bears a remarkable resemblance to the late Princess.
Actress Lizabeth Venezia (left) has been cast as Diana (right) in The Windsors, a rival to Netflix hit The Crown
‘The producer and director told me they reached a stage where they thought they were never going to find Diana,’ Lizabeth tells me.
‘Then they apparently saw my picture and said, ‘Oh, at last, we’ve found her.’
It’s being made by U.S. giant CNN. ‘We’ve filmed every part of her life since she first met Charles,’ Lizabeth adds. ‘It’s all very dramatic.’
Stanley Johnson’s friends were alarmed when he appeared at parties this week with a huge plaster and a bruise on his face.
Had he crossed swords with fiery Nancy Dell’Olio on his recent trip to her native Italy, which I reported earlier this month, or lost a battle over Brexit with his son, Boris?
‘Goodness, no,’ the ebullient former politician chortles, explaining that he has just gone under the surgeon’s knife to have some pre-cancerous cells removed from his face.
‘People have been asking, “Why is Stanley plastered”, ‘ he jokes. ‘My surgeon decided that, whether it was a leaver or a remainer, it was safer to get it out.’
The Prime Minister’s father, 79, is due to return to his surgeon on Thursday when the wound is healed. ‘So people can’t ask: “Why is Stanley in stitches?”‘
Daredevil Jodie Kidd has been bungee-jumping, parachuted out of helicopters and taken part in a car rally, but she turned to jelly when faced with the fairground rides at Winter Wonderland in London’s Hyde Park this week.
‘You won’t catch me going up in that,’ she tells me, pointing to the 230ft Giant Wheel. ‘I shall wait at the bottom and wave.’
Jodie, who was joined by her boyfriend — former Royal Marine Joseph Bates — and her eight-year-old son, Indio, adds: ‘I hate heights and won’t go on any high rides. I shall probably stick to the ghost train.’