Princess Beatrice’s husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, may have a “vested interest” in maintaining his royal ties as speculation about tension in the marriage grows ahead of the couple’s sixth wedding anniversary, according to a royal expert.
Beatrice, 37, married property developer Edo, 42, in an intimate ceremony at the Chapel of All Saints on the Windsor estate after the coronavirus pandemic forced them to abandon plans for a larger celebration.
Their wedding, however, came in the shadow of controversy surrounding Beatrice’s father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who had withdrawn from public duties in November 2019 amid the fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
Now, six years on, their July 17 anniversary is facing renewed scrutiny following fresh claims about Andrew’s links to Epstein, which are said to have created some “distance” between Beatrice and Edo in recent months.
In March, Edo, who has Italian aristocratic heritage, travelled to Florida to promote his luxury interior design business, Banda Property, rather than staying close to Beatrice during the renewed attention prompted by the release of the Epstein Files.
As Edo shared polished images on Instagram of sunny boardwalks and private yachts, sources told the Daily Mail that the couple’s relationship had not been “great for a while.”
A royal commentator has now suggested that Edo may be keen to preserve his association with the Royal Family, pointing in part to his recent public message supporting the Princess of Wales after the Three Peaks Challenge.
Richard Fitzwilliams told the Daily Mail that, although it has been suggested Catherine is not particularly close to either Beatrice or her sister Princess Eugenie, “Edo clearly has a vested interest in steering a stable ship,” especially with a brand such as Banda Property depending heavily on reputation.
‘Good relations with the Waleses, therefore, have an added importance for him.’
Princess Beatrice’s husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi may have a ‘vested interest’ in preserving his royal connections amid rumours of ‘marriage troubles’ ahead of the couple’s sixth wedding anniversary, an expert has said
Beatrice was 31 when she exchanged vows with Edo during a small ceremony before 20 guests at the Royal Chapel of All Saints in the grounds of Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate.
While the former Duke of York, who has since been stripped of his royal titles and is under investigation for misconduct in public office, walked Beatrice down the aisle, Andrew was conspicuously absent from the official wedding portraits released by Buckingham Palace.
Instead, the late Queen and Prince Philip joined the newlyweds in their wedding photos, as Elizabeth made every effort to ensure that her granddaughter’s wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi was an occasion for the couple to remember.
The Queen lent Princess Beatrice the tiara that she wore at her own wedding and a vintage gown first worn to a glitzy film premiere almost 66 years ago.
It was an acknowledgement not only that lockdown had denied Beatrice the wedding-day fanfare enjoyed by her sister Eugenie and cousins William and Harry, but also of the distress of seeing her father’s reputation wrecked by his links to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Six years later, the controversy around Beatrice and Eugenie’s shamed parents has only intensified in the wake of the release of millions of documents connected to the billionaire financier, who died by suicide in prison while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
The file dump included a disturbing photograph of Andrew crouching on all fours over a female lying on the floor, as well as multiple damning revelations about his and Fergie’s association with the man convicted of soliciting sex from girls as young as 14.
It emerged that Andrew sent photographs of his daughters, Eugenie and Beatrice, to Epstein in two festive emails in 2011 and 2012, up to two years after the former prince previously claimed to have cut off all contact with Epstein.
Edo assured Beatrice that he would always be by her side in an Instagram post announcing their engagement in 2019
Beatrice, now 37, tied the knot with property developer Edo, now 42, during a hastily arranged ceremony at the Chapel of All Saints on the Windsor estate, after the Covid pandemic forced the couple to cancel a larger wedding
Astonishing emails unearthed by The Mail on Sunday revealed Fergie was so desperate to cosy up to the convicted paedophile that ‘she was the first to celebrate’ his release from jail ‘with her two daughters in tow’.
The Daily Mail has also found an email from Epstein in 2015 where he told a friend not to worry about meeting Beatrice at an event in Mexico because she ‘liked’ him.
The fallout led to King Charles formally stripping Andrew of all his titles and forcing him out of Royal Lodge, with His Majesty’s younger brother being arrested on his 66th birthday by Thames Valley Police in an extraordinary moment for the monarchy.
It would have been an especially trying time for his daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, who retreated from public life as questions were raised about how much they knew about Andrew and Fergie’s dealings with Epstein.
On the same day that Andrew was held in police custody, Edo was spotted spending time in Palm Beach, Florida.
His trip to the US saw him visit the same area where Ferguson and the princesses dined with Epstein, just days after the end of his prison sentence for trafficking a minor for prostitution.
Edo documented the trip with pictures and videos posted to his Instagram account, along with his business Banda’s account, on February 9.
Snaps show him reclining outside the pink art deco Colony Hotel in Palm Beach and holding a glass of rosé at the Bellini restaurant on the rooftop of the Mr C Miami hotel.
He attended a talk at stylish interiors store Hive Home, popular with super-wealthy locals, and was spotted at an evening event at The Carriage House, an exclusive members’ club.
At one point, he visited the ultra-private Fisher Club, a gated island enclave with just 800 residents favoured by billionaires and A-listers such as Oprah Winfrey and Julia Roberts. One post – a video taken from behind – featured Edo sashaying theatrically along a Florida pavement.
In March, Edo, who is descended from Italian nobility, jetted off to Florida to promote his high-end interior design studio Banda Property, rather than remain by Beatrice’s side during the fallout from the release of the Epstein Files
Despite incessant speculation about the state of Edo and Beatrice’s marriage, the couple put on a united front when they attended Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling’s wedding in the Cotswolds last month
Edo also praised Catherine on social media after she revealed she had completed the arduous Three Peaks Challenge to spread her message about life after cancer, with royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams suggesting he may not be ready to give up his royal links yet.
His social media activity was a far cry from the Instagram post Edo shared to announce his engagement to Beatrice, with the businessman assuring his bride-to-be, Princess Beatrice, that he would always be by her side.
The Italian count wrote: ‘You will never be alone my love, my heart is your home. Hand in hand, today, tomorrow, and forever.’
Yet Edo’s decision to travel to the United States, albeit for work, instead of remaining by his wife’s side sparked speculation that their marriage was on the rocks.
One 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.’
Despite incessant speculation about the state of Edo and Beatrice’s marriage, the couple put on a united front when they attended Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling’s wedding in the Cotswolds last month.
In fact, Edo projected a ‘gallant confidence’ as he led the group to All Saints Church, in Kemble, before exuberantly hugging Princess Anne’s son-in-law, Mike Tindall.
Earlier this month, Edo also praised Catherine on social media after she revealed she had completed the arduous Three Peaks Challenge to spread her message about life after cancer.
Writing under Catherine’s Instagram post, Edo left a series of applause emojis alongside a red heart, following speculation that the future Queen is not particularly close with either of the York princesses.
While the Prince of Wales, 44, is believed to get on reasonably well with Edo, royal sources have claimed Catherine is cautious of both Beatrice and Eugenie in light of the Epstein controversy.
A body language expert also told the Daily Mail how Beatrice showed ‘awkwardness and dislike’ towards the Waleses following the Christmas Day service at Sandringham last year.
But Edo’s recent congratulatory message may be interpreted as an olive branch, with royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams suggesting he may not be ready to give up his royal links yet.
Citing the reputation of Edo’s interior design firm, which he started at the age of 23, Mr Fitzwilliams said: ‘It has built its reputation on “quiet luxury” and nothing gives a soubriquet like that more cachet than a royal link.
‘The combination of Edo’s aristocratic lineage and the most prestigious royal family in the world will have impressed his wealthy clients and boosted its sales, after he married Princess Beatrice in 2020.’
Mr Fitzwilliams added: ‘He clearly sees the importance of keeping in with the royal family as the link is bound to have boosted his business.’
Considering the benefit to Banda, Edo will have a ‘vested interest’ in maintaining a friendship with his wife’s family, he concluded.
