Where Will Princess Beatrice Get Married?
Royal wedding alert: Princess Beatrice is engaged! The royal announced today that she has said yes to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, which obviously means the planning is on starting now, and for all the rest of us, it's high time to speculate. Once you learn more about who Mozzi is and get past the fact that it must be exciting for the princess of York to finally plot a wedding moment that tops that infamous Philip Treacy hat she wore to William and Kate's nuptials back in 2011, what else is there to do than wonder what her ceremony might look like? Luckily, thanks to the ongoing strength of royal tradition, we all know she is likely to turn heads in a custom dress from one of the United Kingdom's most high-profile designers, international celebrities will attend alongside a veritable whos-who of British society, and the wedding is likely to be at one of a few specific venues this spring after an agonizing monthslong wait. From royals' favorite venues to high-profile places that might make for a beautiful ceremony as the world is in bloom, find a guide to potential locations below.
As recent royal history dictates, Westminster Abbey is the place to have a traditional and over-the-top wedding. Queen Elizabeth got married there back in 1947, and later on, so did Prince William and Duchess Kate as well as Bea's parents, Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York. With its striking architecture, high ceilings, long aisle, and position as one of London's most prominent tourist attractions, Westminster is always a place for ceremonies to remember, and would be an especially big deal after some other key young royals have eschewed it to head just out of the city...which brings us to the next potential location.
How cute would it be if Beatrice got married in the same place as her sister, Princess Eugenie? Located at Windsor Castle just west of London, the modest (by royal standards) venue is still fit for a queen (or princess, or duchess) with its Gothic style and photo-op-ready steps. It's been a popular place to get hitched recently, as Eugenie's nuptials closely followed the even bigger wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan (formerly Markle, now Duchess of Sussex). A bit more low-key than getting married in Central London's most established wedding locale but still perfectly respectable, choosing St. George's Chapel would provide a solid excuse for London society to spend a celebratory day outside the city.
Perhaps Beatrice and Mozzi could make everybody nostalgic by heading to another London tourist attraction and the location of Princess Diana's 1981 wedding to Prince Charles. Before the members of the royal Fab Four attracted a massive audience with their respective weddings, a pre-internet crowd woke up early to watch the heir to the throne marry the style icon. The couple did it big at the Anglican attraction with 27 cakes and the longest wedding dress train in royal history, and if the family's next bride wants to really stop the presses, perhaps a ceremony here is the way to go.
Or maybe the couple will have the royal version of a destination wedding, otherwise known as having family and friends gather at the Queen's official Scottish residence, Holyrood. The Edinburgh castle is another popular choice for royal gatherings and features 17th-century architecture as well as ample garden space. Holding a wedding here would give Beatrice her own moment while still fitting into family-approved territory.
In really left-field speculation, could you imagine if Beatrice decided not to stick to royal precedent in any way and instead went to one of her favorite London hotspots? Polynesian-themed club Mahiki is a favorite of the bride-to-be as well as Eugenie, William, and Harry, so while it would be an unexpected choice from someone in the fiercely traditional family, it would create a high-society nightlife moment for the world to remember. After all, not being within the first six in line to the throne, the princess of York often has a bit more freedom from the Queen's choice when it comes to major decisions like this. This probably isn't going to happen, but if it does, you heard it here first.