Princess Beatrice and fiancé Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi have set a date for their wedding, People magazine has reported.
The couple will tie the knot on 29 May after an eight-month engagement, according to the publication.
Beatrice, 31, the eldest daughter of Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York, and Italian property developer Edoardo – known as ‘Edo’ – will reportedly host their reception at Buckingham Palace at the invitation of the Queen.
Beatrice, 31, the eldest daughter of Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York, and Italian property developer Edoardo – known as ‘Edo’ will tie the knot on 29 May, it is reported
The venue for the service has yet to be confirmed. People suggests it could be held at the Royal Military Chapel, known as the Guards Chapel, which is just a short stroll from the palace.
Other suggested venues include St Paul’s Cathedral, where Prince Charles and Princess Diana married.
An announcement on details of the wedding will be made in the coming days, the magazine reported.
However it is understood the couple want their nuptials to be ‘low key’ and without the fanfare that surrounded the wedding of Beatrice’s sister Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank.
Beatrice and Edo had been together for 11 months at the time they announced their engagement in September last year. Father-of-one Edo proposed with a ring estimated to have cost £100,000, while the pair were holidaying in Italy.
The planning has been somewhat overshadowed by the ongoing scandal surrounding Prince Andrew’s friendship with deceased paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The couple will reportedly host their reception at Buckingham Palace (pictured) at the invitation of the Queen. It is the first royal wedding at the palace since the Cambridges’ in 2011
However it is believed Princess Beatrice will still be walked down the aisle by her father, with whom she shares a close relationship, and that her sister Eugenie will play a role in the wedding.
It was reported last week that the Queen has offered to hold the wedding reception at Buckingham Palace in a ‘morale boost’ for her granddaughter.
One friend said: ‘Bea was delighted and very grateful to accept. It was a really special gesture as it will be the first wedding celebration at Buckingham Palace since William and Catherine’s in 2011.’
All three subsequent royal weddings have been in Windsor. Beatrice’s sister Princess Eugenie tied the knot in 2018 at St George’s Chapel, with a reception at the castle.
Beatrice and Edo had been together for 11 months at the time they announced their engagement in September last year. Pictured, one of the photos announcing the engagement
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had exchanged vows there earlier that year.
The York sisters are reportedly set to step forward and take on more responsibility within the royal family in the wake of their father’s retirement and the Sussexes’ departure.
The scandal surrounding Prince Andrew’s friendship with Epstein intensified in December after a second woman who was allegedly abused by billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein claimed she had sex with the duke.
This came after the prince denied sleeping with 17-year-old Virginia Roberts at the Belgravia home of Ghislaine Maxwell – who is accused of trafficking in young women for Epstein.
Prince Andrew (left) has strenuously denied sleeping with 17-year-old Virginia Roberts (pictured centre) at the Belgravia home of Ghislaine Maxwell (right) – who is accused of trafficking in young women for Epstein
Earlier this week one of Epstein’s victims blamed Prince Andrew for failing to stop the convicted sex offender from abusing women before he sexually assaulted her.
She called on the duke to cooperate with the FBI in their investigation, after US lawyer Geoffrey Berman, who is leading the Epstein sex trafficking inquiry, said the duke has ‘provided zero co-operation’, claiming his lawyers had been contacted by prosecutors and the FBI as part of the investigation.
Andrew was reported to be ‘angry and bewildered’ at the claims, with sources telling the Daily Telegraph he was more than happy to talk to the FBI but had not been approached.
When the monarch’s second son quit royal duties, he said he was willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency.
His resignation followed a car crash interview with BBC Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis, after which he was lambasted by critics for failing to show regret or empathy for Epstein’s victims.
Princess Beatrice’s charity, The Big Change, recently announced a series of new projects and partnerships, adding weight to the belief that the sisters will soon have a more high-profile role.
The Big Change identifies and supports charitable projects throughout the UK which will improve the lives of young people.
The wedding planning has been somewhat overshadowed by the ongoing scandal surrounding Prince Andrew’s friendship with deceased paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Pictured, Prince Andrew with daughters Princess Beatrice (right) and Eugenie