Princess Beatrice’s Husband Shares Rare Insight Into Family

Princess Beatrice’s husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, has given a rare glimpse into the private world he shares with his family. The 42-year-old property developer, who married the daughter of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson in 2020, spoke about the people and places closest to him during a Q&A with The Gentleman’s Journal on Wednesday. Appearing at the Long Summer Lunch Event at Blenheim Palace in London, Edo reflected on his favourite destinations and indulgences, naming an Amalfi Coast restaurant as the finest he has visited, Kisawa Sanctuary in Mozambique as his preferred hotel, and London as the city he never tires of returning to.

Asked what his ideal holiday would involve, Edo said it would mean “getting off the beaten track, disconnecting from emails and news, and spending time with my family.” He described his greatest luxuries as “experiences, travel and time with family,” adding that being with family and friends is his favourite way to unwind. His comments come as speculation continues around his marriage to Princess Beatrice following renewed scrutiny of her parents’ links to Jeffrey Epstein. Reports have suggested the scandal created distance between the couple, but a source told Hello magazine that claims of trouble were “not true at all,” insisting they are simply balancing demanding careers with raising their children.

In March, Edo, who is descended from Italian nobility, travelled to Florida to promote his luxury interiors and property studio, Banda Property, rather than remaining in Britain as Beatrice faced the fallout from the release of the Epstein Files. Although the trip was work-related, his absence fuelled talk that the couple’s relationship was under strain. A source told the Daily Mail: “Things haven’t been great for a while between them, but Beatrice has been determined to soldier on and forge a path through. Beatrice is quite different from her sister. She really wants to almost naively see the good in people and will turn a blind eye to uncomfortable truths – that is why she was blind to her father’s behaviour, and the same is true of her belief in Edo. She wants to stay together, but he seems more and more distracted by work and travel. Just when she needs him most, he’s been pulling away.”

The controversy surrounding Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie’s parents has prompted the sisters to step back from public life, as questions mounted over what they knew about the former Duke and Duchess of York’s dealings with Epstein. The scrutiny deepened after millions of documents linked to the late financier were released. Epstein died by suicide in prison while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. Among the material was a troubling photograph of Andrew crouching on all fours above a woman lying on the floor, along with further revelations about his and Sarah Ferguson’s connections to Epstein, who had been convicted of soliciting sex from girls as young as 14. It also emerged that Andrew sent photographs of Eugenie and Beatrice to Epstein in festive emails in 2011 and 2012, up to two years after he previously claimed to have ended all contact with him.

Emails uncovered by The Mail on Sunday also alleged that Sarah Ferguson was eager to repair her relationship with Epstein after his release from jail, with one message claiming she was “the first to celebrate” with “her two daughters in tow.” The Daily Mail further reported that Epstein told a friend in a 2015 email not to worry about meeting Beatrice at an event in Mexico because she “liked” him. The fallout culminated in King Charles formally removing Andrew’s titles and forcing him out of Royal Lodge, while the King’s younger brother was arrested by Thames Valley Police on his 66th birthday in a dramatic moment for the monarchy.