The Next Royal Wedding Is Cancelled

For those eager to see another member of the royal family walk down the aisle (or at least ooh and ahh at all the fun, hat-centric spring fashion) my sincerest apologies: Princess Beatrice has cancelled her wedding due to concerns over the novel coronavirus. 

Princess Beatrice and her fiancé, British property developer, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi got engaged in Italy in September of 2019. They were slated to marry on May 29, 2020. On Wednesday, Buckingham Palace issued a statement which revealed that the wedding is cancelled for the time being, in order to avoid “undertaking any unnecessary risks in the current circumstances.” 

“They are particularly conscious of government advice in relation to both the well-being of older family members and large gatherings of people. Therefore, the planned reception in the Buckingham Palace Gardens will not take place,” it continued. Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Beatrice’s paternal grandmother, is 93. 

The statement added that the couple is considering the government’s advice in considering having a “private marriage” to take place “amongst a small group of family and friends.” At this time, it’s unclear if or when that will happen. 

This isn’t the first time Princess Beatrice — cousin to Prince Harry and Prince William — rearranged her wedding. Princess Beatrice’s wedding date was reportedly changed twice, according to People, around the time her father, Prince Andrew, faced controversy over his connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. He stepped back from his royal duties in November over the scandal. 

Princess Beatrice’s wedding was reportedly intended to be a bit smaller than the typical royal wedding. She reportedly opted out of a carriage procession, and decided not to have her wedding televised. Her sister Princess Eugenie, who married Jack Brooksbank in 2018, did both. 

Princess Beatrice, who has a personal Twitter account, did not tweet about the news on social media. Her last post on Twitter was to announce her engagement to “Edo.” 

May their wedding registry include all the necessities for social distancing: cozy sweatpants, a popcorn subscription, and lots and lots of boardgames.