Princess Beatrice wedding: How one royal bride will inspire Bea’s big day

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi’s nuptials will be the fourth royal wedding over the last three years, and royal fans are already clamouring to find out every detail about her big day. Beatrice is the last of Queen Elizabeth’s eldest grandchildren to become engaged, and the Royal Family is “delighted” at the news. While most members are expected to be in attendance on the day, one long-gone family member will be there in spirit, having inspired a defining aspect of their ceremony.

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi will follow a time-honoured royal tradition initiated nearly 180 years ago.

When Queen Victoria was to marry Prince Albert in 1840, custom was for the bride to dress in a colourful number which could be used for future occasions.

On the rare occasion a white dress was used, it would be to reflect the bridal family’s wealth, showing they could afford to have the dress repeatedly cleaned.

The future legendary Queen of England not only insisted she wear a white dress on her special day, but that no-one else would wear white.

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According to royal biographer Julia Baird, the then-Princess Victoria “had chosen to wear white mostly because it was the perfect colour to highlight the delicate lace [of her gown].”

While the technology did not yet exist to capture photos of the occasion, paintings and news reports inspired the general populace.

Now, the Queen’s preferences have carried down for generations, and will likely be observed by Edoardo and Beatrice in their 2020 ceremony.

The general populace has also honoured Victoria’s then bold choice, and white is now the go-to wedding dress colour.

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Experts believe Beatrice will also adapt another royal tradition into her wedding, one followed by every marrying couple of the past three years.

Beatrice and Edoardo are the fourth couple to tie the knot in three years, following two weddings in 2018 and another in 2019.

In 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank all married at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.

Lady Gabriella Windsor followed in May 2019, and Beatrice and Edoardo are tipped to do the same in 2020.

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Speaking to Express.co.uk, royal commentator Rafe Heydel-Mankoo said Beatrice and Edoardo would marry in line with “tradition”.

He told Express.co.uk: “The relationship of Princess Beatrice and Count Mapelli Mozzi may be fairly new, but it’s already a very close and extremely happy one.

“I expect that they will be the next royals to marry and that, in line with tradition, the wedding will take place at historic St. George’s Chapel, Windsor.

“The Royal Peculiar’s association with the monarchy dates back 600 years and has most recently served as the setting for the weddings of Her Royal Highness’s sister, Princess Eugenie, and cousin, The Duke of Cambridge.”