Princess Beatrice Reportedly Cancels Engagement Party As Prince Andrew Fallout Continues
Princess Beatrice, the daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, has reportedly canceled her lavish engagement party due to the fallout regarding the prince’s association with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The party was to celebrate her impending nuptials to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, which are to take place sometime in 2020.
The event was supposed to take place at Chiltern Firehouse in London on December 18, reported The Daily Mail. However, the gathering will instead be held privately, at a friend’s apartment. The princess and Mapelli Mozzi became engaged while away for the weekend in Italy earlier this September.
Apparently, there were fears that the paparazzi would swarm the event and make what should be a happy celebration into a media circus, so the intimate gathering will instead welcome some of the couple’s closest family members and friends in a more private setting.
“Bea has had to change the date of her engagement party at the Chiltern Firehouse because of fears there will be too many photographers outside looking for [Prince Andrew],” an insider claimed to The Daily Mail. “But the venue choice caused alarm among pals concerned it was far too high-profile given the sensitive time her family is going through.”
Princess Beatrice has not released a formal statement regarding the switch to her engagement party venue nor regarding the couple’s future wedding plans at this moment.
After news of the scandal regarding her ex-husband broke, Sarah threw her support behind the prince in a statement on Instagram, revealing she will stand by his side every step of the way and calling it her “honor.” She also said that as a couple, they have always walked tall and strong, “he for me and me for him.”
The couple married in July 1986 and divorced 10 years thereafter. They continue to co-parent their children and live together at the Royal Lodge in Windsor.
Prince Andrew has come under fire over his association with convicted sex offender Epstein.
Vanity Fair reported that the duke has stepped down from his work with 230 charities following his questionable interview with the BBC’s Newsnight, where it was hoped that Prince Andrew would be able to clear up any misconceptions regarding the alleged relationship between himself and Epstein.
Instead, the appearance reportedly backfired and did little to clear his name in connection with the scandal. Vanity Fair reported that Andrew came across as unapologetic for his friendship with the late billionaire.
The prince then released an official statement regarding his ties to Epstein on his official Instagram account, remarking that his former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to his family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organizations and charities that he was proud to support.
In the statement, the prince revealed he asked his mother, Queen Elizabeth, if he could step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she had given her permission.
