It came as little shock when whispers began circulating over the weekend about troubles in Princess Beatrice’s marriage to the charismatic Italian noble, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, which has spanned six years.

Signs of potential issues have loomed since the couple tied the knot in 2020, soon after Edo’s rapid split from Dara Huang, a striking and sophisticated American entrepreneur. Dara shares a nine-year-old son, Christopher, affectionately known as Wolfie, with him.

From the onset, it appeared that Beatrice—who has inherited her mother’s appearance, unfortunate fashion choices, and penchant for opulence—might have been reaching beyond her grasp. The match between the attractive count and the less glamorous princess left many questioning the authenticity of their supposed love story.

The Mail on Sunday further fueled these concerns. Instead of standing by his wife’s side in England with their two daughters amid the York family’s unraveling reputation due to Andrew and Fergie’s questionable decisions, Edo was notably absent. He chose to be 4,500 miles away in Palm Springs, Florida, promoting his ‘luxury interior design consultancy,’ Banda. His social media posts showcased him enjoying rosé at an upscale hotel, clad in a flamboyant pink suit.

It’s clear why Beatrice was drawn to her striking husband. However, the immense opportunities he gleaned from their marriage shouldn’t be underestimated. His once lesser-known business has since managed developments valued at over £700 million in prime London real estate.

As they exchanged vows in a small, intimate ceremony at the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor six years ago, one might wonder if Edo had ulterior motives, perhaps seeing dollar signs in the union with the princess.

It always seemed that Bea was punching way above her weight in their union, writes Amanda Platell

Bea, seen here with Sarah Ferguson and Princess Eugenie, has inherited her mother’s looks, appalling dress sense and love of the high life, writes Platell

More to the point, if he is so devoted to his wife, would he, during her darkest hours holed up with their two children – Sienna, four, and one-year-old Athena – have been swanning around Florida and documenting it all on Instagram?

Even their appearance together at the weekend – leaving a Notting Hill sushi restaurant, Bea smiling and Edo with a distant gaze – has done little to dispel the rumours of a rift in their marriage.

Friends of the couple told The Mail on Sunday there has been a ‘noticeable distance’ between the pair since the Epstein scandal devoured the York family. That ‘things haven’t been great for a while between them’, but that ‘Beatrice is determined to soldier on and forge a path through this crisis’.

Bea’s friends say she wants to save their marriage, but her husband ‘seems more and more distracted by work and travel… just when she needs him most, he’s been pulling away’. As they say, actions speak louder than words, and with her husband half a world away, what comfort can Edo be offering to his wife: a video call?

Most tellingly still, one friend says: ‘Edo is a man who needs lots of attention, he’s one of those men’, and that ‘Bea knows what he’s like – he’s Italian’.

Which leads one to wonder whether Edo cares more about protecting his own career than the suffering of his wife, who is having to endure the disgrace of her family while being a mum.

Even their appearance together at the weekend – leaving a Notting Hill sushi restaurant, Bea smiling and Edo with a distant gaze – has done little to dispel the rumours of a rift in their marriage, writes Amanda Platell

Edo’s ex, the glamorous American businesswoman Dara Huang, with whom he has a nine-year-old son

Edo has been away in Palm Springs, promoting his luxury interior design consultancy Banda empire, posting pictures of himself at a luxury hotel, wearing a pink suit

Edo is reportedly ‘worried his in-laws will affect his business’. His own family ‘do not want to be wrapped up in the wreckage of Andrew’ and ‘want him to create distance between the Yorks and the Mapelli Mozzis’.

Sorry Edo, but it’s too late for that. Bea is named hundreds of times in the Epstein Files released by the US Department of Justice, and we are still yet to see the real extent of her association with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and perhaps her willingness to turn a blind eye while the billionaire was allegedly helping to fund her parents’ largesse.

How will any of that wash with Edo’s millionaire clientele or his noble Italian family?

Sorry for stating the obvious, but keen royal watchers like me have always worried that this mismatch would end in tears.

Maybe I’m wrong and it was love that motivated them both. All I’ll say is that Edo seems to have done very well out of marrying Bea.

But should we now feel sorry for the poor Princess, struggling with alleged marriage difficulties and family turmoil? Not a bit. She, like her parents Andrew and Fergie, has drunk deep on her royal status, greedily enjoying every privilege her HRH title endowed upon her.

Now it’s time for a reckoning – and I don’t expect to hear many violins playing softly in the background in sympathy for the Princess.