Queen Elizabeth Left Princess Beatrice’s Wedding Early — Here’s Why
Princess Beatrice of York and Edoardo “Edo” Mapelli Mozzi are officially married! The couple wed in an intimate ceremony with close friends and family in attendance. But, according to reports, the bride’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, left the reception early. Keep reading to learn more about the royal wedding and why the queen made her exit soon after the ceremony.
Princess Beatrice marries at the Royal Chapel of All Saints
In a small, private ceremony on July 17, 2020, Beatrice and Edo married in front of a select group of guests including the queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The ceremony took place at Windsor’s Royal Chapel of All Saints located at the Royal Lodge.
The venue proved very convenient for the royal family because Sarah, Andrew, Eugenie, have all been staying at the Royal Lodge. And the queen and Philip have been staying at Windsor Castle making the venue a short drive away.
According to Hello!, the Royal Chapel is where the queen often attends church. And the inside is somewhat of a mystery. The public got a glimpse of the inside ahead of the Queen Mother’s funeral in 2002.
Queen Elizabeth left the wedding early for a knighthood presentation
According to The Sun, the queen left Beatrice and Edo’s wedding not long after it began. Taking place at 11 a.m., she reportedly left at 11:45 a.m. to return to Windsor Castle, just a short drive away.
The reason? Her job.
The queen’s schedule is a busy one. Following the royal wedding, she returned for a 3 p.m. knighthood presentation to Captain Tom Moore. The 100-year-old’s made headlines during COVID-19 for raising money for the National Health Service.
Princess Beatrice canceled her royal wedding in April 2020
In March 2020, Beatrice and Edo canceled their May 2020 royal wedding reception in a statement from Buckingham Palace.
“Princess Beatrice and Mr. Mapelli Mozzi are very much looking forward to getting married but are equally aware of the need to avoid undertaking any unnecessary risks in the current circumstances,” the statement read.
Announcing their engagement in October 2019, Beatrice and Edo planned their royal wedding for May 29, 2020. It would’ve marked the first royal wedding of the year but because of the coronavirus, the couple canceled the ceremony.
They originally planned to get married at St. James Palace in front of 150 guests after which there’d be a reception in the gardens of Buckingham Palace.
In April 2020, the couple announced their decision to cancel their royal wedding. At that point, things had gotten complicated because the Church of England issued a restriction on weddings, limiting the number of wedding attendees to five people.
Considering Beatrice’s immediate family is three people — Princess Eugenie of York, Sarah, Duchess of York, and Prince Andrew, Duke of York — there’s no way she and Edo would’ve been able to have even their closest relatives there.
