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Princess Beatrice is set to marry Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi on Friday, 29 May 2020 – but a cloud of doubt is looming over the royal's big day.
The coronavirus, which has rapidly spread across the world, has seen Italy enter full lockdown this week with at least 9100 people infected and 463 deaths, according to Business Insider. This may affect the royal couple's wedding plans.
Though Edoardo resides in the UK, the property developer descends from Italian aristocracy – he will inherit the family's ancestral seat and the 18th century Villa Mapelli Mozzi palace in Italy – so many guests will fly in for the royal affair, according to The Telegraph.
But international guests are the least of the royals family's concerns.
Though Beatrice and Edoardo's royal wedding will be more private than others – the ceremony will take place at The Chapel Royal, St James's Palace, with a small reception at Buckingham Palace – the country's already reported 382 cases, six deaths, with Health Minister Nadine Dorries testing positive, reports BBC. So getting a group of people together isn't advised, to say the least.
The royals took precautions on Monday at the Commonwealth Day Service, not shaking hands with any guests. According to HELLO! Magazine, a spokesperson for the Abbey, said, "Westminster Abbey is acutely aware of the risks posed by the spread of novel coronavirus. In recent weeks we have advised members of our congregation to avoid shaking hands." So Prince Charles greeted by clasping his hands together and bowing, Prince Harry elbow bumped Craig David.
But will that be enough with the UK nearing Italy's numbers?
The royal family has not yet commented on their plans for the wedding going forward, but we assume it will be an even smaller event in the royal calendar than initially anticipated.
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