Princess Beatrice is ‘looking to postpone wedding entirely’ until 2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic, a royal expert has revealed.
The royal, 31, had initially been set to marry fiancé Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 36, in the Chapel Royal of St James’s Palace in London on May 29, followed by a reception at Buckingham Palace.
But due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Queen’s granddaughter and Edo cancelled their reception earlier this month and were said to be looking at whether a private marriage with a small group of family and friends would be feasible.
Now, speaking on the Heirpod podcast, Omid Scobie revealed: ‘From what I’ve heard after speaking with sources was the couple are now looking at postponing entirely until 2021.’
Princess Beatrice, 31, and her fiancé Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 36, are looking to ‘postpone their wedding to 2021’, according to royal expert Omid Scobie
Speaking on the podcast, Omid said: ‘We heard before that the Queen was hosting a reception at Buckingham Palace in the gardens, that’s no longer taking place.
‘The couple are now working with the Government and taking Government advice to decide whether even a private marriage might take place among a tiny group of friends and family.
‘From what I’ve heard after speaking with sources yesterday was the couple are now looking at postponing entirely until 2021..
Omid said the couple’s decision to potentially postpone the wedding was similar to one faced by many people in the current climate.
The couple, who got engaged last September, were due to marry at a ceremony in London in May, followed by a reception at Buckingham Palace (pictured together)
He said: ‘I think that really is a reflection of a dilemma that a lot of people must be in this year.’
‘It obviously sounds very small, but these are milestones n someone’s life and you spent a long time planning for it.
‘It’s always a difficult decision to call something like that off but it is clearly the right one.’
The princess was overjoyed after becoming engaged on a weekend trip to Italy last September, and the couple said they could not wait to be married.
Princess Beatrice’s nupitals have already been overshadowed by her father Andrew’s scandal (pictured together with sister Princess Eugenie in May 2018)
Her forthcoming nuptials have already been overshadowed by the scandal that has engulfed her father Andrew.
The duke retired from public royal duties in November after his disastrous Newsnight interview about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew has strenuously denied claims from Virginia Giuffre that he slept with her when she was 17 after she was trafficked by Epstein.
The duke is facing calls to talk to the FBI and US prosecutors, but has previously been accused of having ‘completely shut the door’ on any co-operation.
Princess Beatrice would have wanted her grandparents the Queen, 93, to be there on her big day (pictured together last year)
As the granddaughter of a monarch, Beatrice would have been expected to wed in front of 800 guests in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, just like her sister Princess Eugenie, whose ceremony was televised and was followed by a carriage ride through the town.
But, amid the controversy over her father, the princess opted for the more intimate, low-key option of the Chapel Royal and was due to invite 150 guests.
Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, Beatrice would have wanted her grandparents the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to be with her on her wedding day.
But the Government has called on all people in the UK, particularly the over-70s, to avoid all non-essential contact and travel as part of unprecedented peacetime measures aimed at controlling the spread of Covid-19.
The Queen, 93, and the 98-year-old Duke of Edinburgh are at Windsor Castle, where they are socially distancing themselves.