Just one month after setting a wedding date, Princess Beatrice and her fiancé, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, are having to rethink their plans.
Buckingham Palace released a statement on Wednesday regarding changes to the upcoming royal wedding in light of the coronavirus outbreak.
“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 palace spokesperson said.
At least 560 people in Australia have tested positive for COVID-19, while six people have died.
The virus has killed more than 8,200 people worldwide with infections reaching 200,000 mark.
“They are particularly conscious of government advice in relation to both the wellbeing of older family members and large gatherings of people,” the statement said.
“Therefore, the planned reception in the Buckingham Palace Gardens will not take place,” the statement continued. It has not yet been determined whether the nuptials themselves will be delayed, as “the couple will carefully consider government advice before deciding whether a private marriage might take place amongst a small group of family and friends.”
This is reportedly the third time that Beatrice and Mapelli Mozzi will have to change their wedding plans. An anonymous source told People magazine in February that the dates were changed following media scrutiny of Prince Andrew’s relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“The date was changed two times to adjust [around Andrew’s scandal],” an anonymous source told the outlet at the time. “It will be smaller than the original plan.”
But don’t worry about the couple’s long-term plans. As Princess Eugenie said when her sister announced her engagement, “You two are meant to be.”
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