A count and a royal: Inside Princess Beatrice’s whirlwind romance with Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi

The royal was first linked to the successful property developer in mid 2018 after a mutual friend set them up but they had reportedly run in the same circles for years.

Edo’s step-father Christopher Shale, was close friends with Beatrice’s parents, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson. The princess even attended Christopher’s funeral alongside her parents in 2011. Beatrice and Edo were reacquainted in 2018 and hit it off instantly.

The pair attended their first event together, stepping out at the Third Annual Berggruen Prize Gala in New York in December 2018 but were not photographed together.

Just a few months later in March 2019, Bea and her real estate mogul beau made a dazzling red carpet appearance at the Portrait Gala event at the National Portrait gallery in London, pictured.

In May 2019, the couple attended the wedding Of Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston, alongside Beatrice’s mother Sarah Ferguson.

Meet the parents! Their romance ticked along so well that Beatrice soon introduced her new boyfriend to her parents, Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York.

It’s getting serious: In September 2019, the love birds reportedly jetted to Positano on the Amalfi Coast of Italy for a romantic getaway.

“They looked very much in love and happy. It would not be a shock to see theirs being the next royal wedding,” an onlooker told the MailOnline of the jet-setters.

The big announcement: That same month, the palace confirmed that Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi had proposed to Princess Beatrice.

“The Duke and Duchess of York are delighted to announce the engagement of Her Royal Highness of York to Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.”

And the ring was simply gorgeous!

Proud mum Sarah Ferguson quickly took to social media to express her joy, sharing two black-and-white photos of the happy couple which were snapped by Misan Harriman at the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park.

“I know what a mother feels so I have tears of joy. I am so proud of this sensational news. Andrew and I are just the luckiest people ever to have two great sons in law,” Sarah beamed at the time.

In December 2019, the soon to-be husband and wife threw a lavish engagement party at trendy London hotspot the Chiltern Firehouse. The event boasted an A-list guest list including names like Pippa Middleton, James Middleton, Ellie Goulding and James Blunt.

However Princess Beatrice’s father Prince Andrew skipped the event as it was in the aftermath of his disastrous Newsnight interview.

Wedding countdown! In February last year, it was revealed the couple would be tying the knot on May 29th at the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace, followed by a reception at Buckingham Palace.

In a sweet touch, Edoardo’s four-year-old son Wolfie was named as his best man.

Sadly in March, Bea and Edo announced they’d be postponing their wedding due to the risk of coronavirus.

“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. In line with Government advice for the UK and beyond, the couple are reviewing their arrangements for 29th May. They are particularly conscious of Government advice in relation to both the wellbeing of older family members and large gatherings of people. Therefore, the planned reception in the Buckingham Palace Gardens will not take place,” a spokesperson said at the time.

In July, the couple surprised the world by tying the knot in secret!

Surprise, they’ve tied the knot!

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi still managed to enjoy a special, albeit much smaller, celebration on Friday July 17 last year, tying the knot in secret at the All Saints Chapel in Windsor with just 20 friends and family present.

According to reports, Princess Beatrice and her mother Sarah Ferguson pulled together the last-minute wedding in just two weeks.

The guest list may have been small but the celebrations were by no means watered down! VIP guests partied under an oversized tent at the Royal Lodge, complete with jumping castles and glamping pods.

Proud grandparents the Queen and Prince Philip pose from a safe distance with the newlyweds.

In a romantic tribute, Edo posted this behind-the-scenes snap with his new wife accompanied with the couple’s favourite poem I Carry Your Heart by E. E. Cummings, which was read out at their wedding.

“I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart) I am never without it (anywhere I go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling) I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) I want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true) and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide) and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart).”

A new wedding picture surfaced on Instagram in the weeks following the pair’s surprise nuptials in July 2020, with the pair seen alongside Edo’s son Wolfie – can you spot him in the background?

And then came the baby! On May 19 2021, Beatrice and Edo announced they were expecting their first child together, with the new parents thrilled with the news.

In July that year the radiant mum-to-be showed off her growing belly at Wimbledon with Edoardo at her side. All eyes were on her bump, which she dressed in a stunning polka-dot dress by Self Portrait with puff sleeves and a belted in waist, perfectly highlighting her belly.

It was one of the few times royal watchers caught a glimpse of the pregnant princess, as she kept a low profile through much of her pregnancy.

Edoardo penned a special message to his wife for their first wedding anniversary in July, a few short months before they became parents. He wrote: “I can’t believe it has been 1 year. Every second of every day since has been so full of joy, happiness, laughter and love. You are the kindest, loveliest and most beautiful person in the world. Thank you my darling for every second. ❤️👰💍”

Beatrice stepped out again just days before giving birth, visiting the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice on September 16 – she would go on to give birth on September 18.

On September 18, 2021, Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi welcomed their first child together – a healthy baby girl.

Sharing the news on her Twitter account, Beatrice wrote: “So delighted to share the news of the safe arrival of our daughter on Saturday 18th September 2021, at 23.42, at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London. Thank you to the Midwife team and everyone at the hospital for their wonderful care.”

New parents Beatrice and Edoardo were spotted out together for the first time since welcoming daughter Sienna in October 2021 to attend the wedding of Greece’s Prince Philippos and Nina Flohr in Athens.

The couple arrived hand-in-hand to support Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge as she hosted a special Christmas carols concert in December 2021, though they left their young daughter at home for the night.

Welcome to 2022! For their chic first public outing in the new year, Beatrice and Edoardo dressed up to attend the F1 Grand Prix in Bahrain. We still haven’t been treated to a photo of their daughter Sienna yet, but the new parents looked happy and hale during their outing.

The look of love! Beatrice couldn’t keep her eyes off her husband at the 2022 Chelsea Flower Show.

A rare moment of PDA was spotted when the couple attended National Service of Thanksgiving celebrating the Queen’s 70 years on the throne.

At Royal Ascot 2022, the couple looked picture perfect.

Hello there! Beatrice and Edo were in high spirits at the Platinum Party at the Palace for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Two peas in a pod watching the tennis at Wimbledon 2022.

The couple stood in solidarity with Prince Harry, arriving at the coronation of King Charles III together (with Prince Andrew trailing not far behind).