Queen reveals her delight at attending Princess Beatrice's wedding with Prince Philip by her side as Prince Andrew's daughter marries Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in a surprise secret ceremony at Windsor Castle with TWENTY guests
- Princess Beatrice has tied the knot with Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in secret ceremony at Windsor Castle
- Service was held at Royal Chapel of All Saints, in the grounds of home of Royal Lodge, in Windsor Great Park
- The Queen, 94, and Prince Philip, 99, were both in attendance and appeared in excellent spirits as they left
- Queen later told Captain Sir Tom Moore, who was knighted at Windsor Castle, that it had been 'very nice'
- Guest list has not been made public but church weddings are only allowed a maximum of 30 people in total
- Edo and Beatrice were due to wed at St James's Palace on 29 May but plans were postponed due to Covid
The Queen shared her delight at Princess Beatrice's surprise secret wedding to Italian property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, saying it was a 'very nice' occasion.
Proud grandparents the Queen, 94, and the Duke of Edinburgh, 99, were among the roughly 20 guests who watched the couple exchange vows at 11am this morning at the Royal Chapel of All Saints, in the grounds of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's home of Royal Lodge, in Windsor Great Park.
Beatrice, 31, and Edo, were due to tie the knot at the Chapel Royal of St James's Palace, in London, on 29 May. But their ceremony was postponed due to Covid-19 and no new date was given by the palace at the time.
Instead the couple chose to have an intimate ceremony attended by just 'close family', according to a statement released this afternoon by Buckingham Palace. The bride's parents, Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York as well as her sister Princess Eugenie, 30, are thought to have been included. On marriage Beatrice becomes a stepmother to Edo's son Christopher, known as Wolfie, who is also thought to have attended.
The Queen, who has now watched six of her eight grandchildren wed, shared her joy in a conversation with Captain Sir Tom Moore, whom she knighted at Windsor Castle just hours after the nuptials. She told Sir Tom and his family: 'My granddaughter got married this morning both Philip and I managed to get there - very nice.'
The chapel, which can accommodate 180 people, was an ideal choice for social distancing, especially given the bride's grandparents are both in their 90s and in a high risk group. Weddings of up to 30 people are allowed under current government guidelines. The reduced guest list means that the couple will have to celebrate with celebrity friends such as Ellie Goulding, Karlie Kloss and Cressida Bonas at a later date.
Flowers from well-wishers were seen being unloaded from vans after the wedding, as Buckingham Palace confirmed no reception or other event was taking place.
A statement released by the palace said: 'The small ceremony was attended by The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and close family. The wedding took place in accordance with all relevant Government guidelines.'
It is understood the couple will not be releasing a wedding photo today because they do not want to overshadow the investiture of Captain Tom Moore, who received his knighthood from the Queen at Windsor Castle this afternoon.
Princess Beatrice has married Italian property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in a secret ceremony at Windsor Castle. Pictured, a photo released to announce their engagement
Pick florals like Princess Beatrice in a printed dress by Zimmermann
Congratulations to Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli, who have officially tied the knot!
We can't help but wonder what the bride wore to walk down the aisle at Windsor Castle, but for now let's take a look back at the beautiful photos released when she announced her engagement.
Divert your attention from her diamond ring by Shaun Leane for a second and check out her green floral print dress, which is by Zimmermann. We love the pretty blooms and chic long sleeves. It has a vintage, romantic aesthetic, so it was the perfect choice.
Sadly it has now sold out, but it's available to hire for a fraction of the original price at HURR (click right). Sustainable and budget-friendly? Genius!
Or if you're after a wardrobe keeper, head to our edit below for some excellent lookalikes.
The bride's grandparents the Queen, 94, and the Duke of Edinburgh, 99, who have both been in isolation at Windsor Castle, were in attendance and appeared in excellent spirits as they left the service, pictured
It is likely the bride's parents, Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York, both attended as the service was held in the grounds of their home. Pictured, Prince Andrew on Wednesday
The chapel is on the grounds of the Royal Lodge, where the Duke and Duchess of York have been staying in lockdown
Flowers from well-wishers were seen being unloaded from vans after the wedding, as Buckingham Palace confirmed no reception or other event was taking place
A local florist, which has been used for a number of Royal events, was again called upon to deliver bouquets this afternoon
Flowers and boxes were being unloaded from vehicles outside the gates of the park following the wedding earlier in the day
Edo and Beatrice are understood to have planned the day with the safety of the Queen in mind. The Queen and Prince Philip have been in isolation at Windsor Castle since the start of lockdown.
A friend told the Sun they chose All Saints Chapel because it is just a short three-mile drive from the castle, making it easy for the Queen to attend. They also chose a date before the Queen makes her annual trip up to Balmoral at the end of the month.
The friend added: 'So many guests were disappointed not to make the big day but understood the reason for it.
'They needed to make the wedding Covid-secure and safe for the Queen so what better way than the All Saints Chapel with reception on site at the Royal Lodge.
'They are just like a normal family and had to make sacrifices like many others have up and down the country and looking forward to having a wonderful celebration when the time is right.'
Edo is the son of Nikki Shale and Italian former Olympic skier Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi. Nikki split with Mapelli Mozzi when Edo was young, while her second husband Christopher Shale, a senior Tory and a close friend of former prime minister David Cameron, died of a heart attack at Glastonbury Festival in 2011.
Photos show Her Majesty looking resplendent in green as she left Royal Lodge today. The Queen, 94, has now watched six of her eight grandchildren tie the knot
It is thought the couple exchanged vows today at the Royal Chapel of All Saints, in the grounds of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's home of Royal Lodge, in Windsor Great Park. Pictured, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh leave the Royal Lodge following the service
Beatrice, 31, and Edo are long-time family friends, but started dating in October 2018 and got engaged in September last year. Proud mother was among those who shared their delight at news of the match.
The couple had been due to tie the knot in front of 150 guests in the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace in London on 29 May, with a lavish reception planned for the garden of Buckingham Palace.
Despite the cloud of controversy surrounding Prince Andrew's relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, it is thought the father of the bride still planned to walk his daughter down the aisle.
However, like so many couples around the world, Beatrice and Edo's plans were thrown into disarray when the UK went into lockdown on March 23. It emerged shortly afterwards that the couple had postponed their plans, although no new date was confirmed.
It would seem the couple took the decision to marry in a small, intimate service with only their closest friends and family, rather than wait to reschedule.
Princess Beatrice spent lockdown with Edo and future mother-in-law Nikki Shale at her £1.5 million country house near Chipping Norton.
Eugenie, Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew were all in isolation at the Royal Lodge.
Edo is said to enjoy an amicable relationship with his ex, Huang and prides himself on still being an active part of his son's life.
Princess Beatrice's modest wedding venue: How the bride and groom wed in a royal chapel in the grounds of her parents home
The modest chapel, which was refurbished by George IV in the 1820s, is significantly smaller than St George's Chapel where her sister Eugenie wed last year with a capacity of just 180 guests.
The chapel is on the grounds of the Royal Lodge, where the Duke and Duchess of York have been staying in lockdown.
According to the St George's parish website, the Queen normally worships at the Chapel of All Saints for reasons of privacy.
The modest chapel, which was refurbished by George IV in the 1820s, is where Princess Beatrice tied the knot to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi today
She attends services at the larger St George's Chapel, where Prince Harry and Meghan wed in 2017, on certain special occasions, such as the Easter morning service every year.
The All Saints Chapel has also been home to more intimate gatherings throughout the royal's history, including the Queen mother's funeral in 2002.
The Queen mother lived in the Royal Lodge as a widow and would regularly attend service there, as it's only 100 yards from the entrance.
Queen Victoria also attended services in the chapel.
A record of her attendance in March 1842 recalls her saying: 'Everyone joined in the singing, which I so much like.
'Afterwards we walked to the Royal Lodge, and in the garden which is very pretty'.
Stephanie, Los Angeles, 2 hours ago
I love to watch the royal weddings. Diana's wedding was the first I ever saw and being an American I had no idea that her father was an "Earl" and she was a "Lady" or what that even meant. When she was engaged I heard she was a "kindergarten" teacher. I had no idea she was from landed English nobility so it was interesting for me to learn all of that.