Princess Beatrice cancels wedding reception due to the coronavirus outbreak

Princess Beatrice has cancelled her wedding reception in Buckingham Palace amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

The 31-year-old princess, the eldest daughter of the Duke of York, is due to marry her fiancé Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi on 29 May.

But she may now have to delay that date for the ceremony, after cancelling the reception.

In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “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 29 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. The couple will carefully consider government advice before deciding whether a private marriage might take place amongst a small group of family and friends.”

The statement comes after a friend told the Daily Telegraph: "There won't be a reception. The wedding may be just them and a chaplain. It all depends on what happens over the next few weeks but there will be no big gathering."

Beatrice and her fiancé had intended to use the marquees and portaloos in the palace gardens that are erected each year for the garden parties for the reception of their wedding.

But the palace had to cancel this summer’s parties amid the ongoing pandemic.

The couple had already been hit with problems in their wedding planning as Mozzi’s family is from the region in northern Italy that is badly hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

It was understood the 36-year-old, who has lived in the UK most of his life, only has distant relatives in the region.

The royals were planning a much smaller affair than their recent predecessors, getting married in the Chapel Royal with about 150 guests.

Any plans for a grand wedding similar to her sister Eugenie’s wedding to Jack Brooksbank may have been marred by her father’s disastrous interview with BBC Newsnight over his friendship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

He stepped aside from public duties in November amid the fallout from the interview, in which he did not show regret over his friendship.

Buckingham Palace has previously said the royal family is following government advice on dealing with coronavirus.

The Queen is to go to Windsor for Easter Court a week early, and will leave the capital on 19 March.

She held audiences on Wednesday in Buckingham Palace but did not shake hands. Several of her planned engagements have been postponed.

She, her son Prince Charles and his wife Camilla are all in the high-risk category set by the government due to their age. Following government advice means they would be carrying out fewer public engagements, and only making essential trips outside.

Words by Rebecca Taylor

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