Princess Beatrice’s husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi may hail from one of Italy’s most notable aristocratic families, but the historic palazzo it was presumed he would one day inherit is seemingly not his to take.
The 42-year-old luxury property developer has been married to the daughter of disgraced former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Princess Beatrice, since 2020.
However, the recent scandal following the princess’s father’s arrest in February on suspicion of misconduct in a public office has reportedly strained their relationship and caused ructions within their marriage.
More trouble could be on the horizon for Edoardo, who is affectionately nicknamed “Edo”, as his claim to his family’s 18th-century neo-classical Villa Mapelli Mozzi in Lombardy has been brought into question.
It was reported by the Daily Mail that Edo’s side of the Mapelli Mozzi clan is a more junior branch, leaving them with no legal claim to the ancestral home worth £2.5 million.
The publication also suggested that while the villa was once a grand palazzo with striking features and dripping in opulence, it has been left to ruin and is in an unsellable condition, reducing its price to the low millions instead of a much higher figure.
It was claimed that Edo’s father, Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi, who has been married three times, is living in a small property in the South of France, making money letting small holiday homes. He is seemingly not a Count as his title boasts no legal status since Italy became a republic in 1946.
Edo’s father speaks out
Amidst the Mountbatten-Windsor drama, Beatrice’s father-in-law, Alessandro, has broken his silence and made his stance on the couple’s marriage surprisingly clear.
The 74-year-old was approached by the Daily Mail to share his opinions on the direction of his son’s marriage to the British princess; however, he made it crystal clear he would not be drawn into the drama.
He told them: “I have plenty of opinions, but I am not going to talk about them. It’s not my affair; you should go and talk to my son about it.”
© GettyDespite swirling rumours, Beatrice and her husband stepped out for dinner together at Eel Sushi Bar in Notting Hill, united in the face of divorce whispers. Their dinner date came just days after friends of the couple exclusively told HELLO! that reports of them facing marriage difficulties were “not true at all”.
A source said the couple are “balancing” physical distance because of work with family life, after Edo was seen on a number of overseas trips.
They said: “The only thing Bea and Edo are navigating is their busy jobs and looking after their children! They’ve both had recent stints working abroad and, like so many working parents, have [been] balancing work with looking after the kids.
“Recent reports that things aren’t good between them are not true at all. Things are great between them and the only distance between them recently has been physical distance because of work!”
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