Princess Beatrice officially cancels her royal wedding due to coronavirus

Princess Beatrice and her fiance Edwardo Mapelli Mozzi have officially called off their wedding plans for next month due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York was set to wed the property tycoon at the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace in London on May 29 with a reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II to follow at Buckingham Palace. However, those plans won’t be happening anytime soon.

“There are no plans to switch venues or hold a bigger wedding. They aren’t even thinking about their wedding at this time,” a spokesperson for the couple told People. “There will come a time to rearrange, but that’s not yet.”

Many brides and grooms around the world are facing this difficult situation right now, as the number of confirmed cases and fatalities steadily rises, triggering governments to make the decision to limit how many people can gather in a single location.

Guidelines around the elderly, and how best to protect the health of those over 60, could also heavily impact Princess Beatrice’s plans, as her grandparents Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are 93 and 98 years old respectively.

It had previously been announced that the couple were considering their options on whether to call off their big day entirely or have a private ceremony attended by a small number of family and friends instead.

“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,” a Buckingham Palace spokesperson told The Sun. “In line with government advice for the UK and beyond, the couple are reviewing their arrangements for 29th May.”

The source added: “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.

“The couple will carefully consider government advice before deciding whether a private marriage might take place amongst a small group of family and friends.”

Princess Beatrice became engaged to Edo in September 2019. At the time of their engagement, the couple said, in a joint statement: “We are both so excited to be embarking on this life adventure together.

“We share so many similar interests and values, and we know that this will stand us in great stead for the years ahead, full of love and happiness.”