Sarah Ferguson has shared her first Instagram post since news broke of her daughter Princess Beatrice’s secret wedding ceremony broke yesterday.
The Duchess of York, 60, launched the daily YouTube show in April, where she reads a series of different children’s books to help keep the little ones entertained during lockdown.
And this morning, Fergie posted a preview of her daily story slot with pal Michele O’Reilly, thought to be a lecturer, confirming she would be reading Peepo! by Allan and Janet Ahlberg, a book describing a glimpse into the daily life of a baby.
Princess Andrew’s ex-wife did not mention Beatrice, 31, who married Italian property developer Edo, 37, at a ceremony at the Royal Chapel of All Saints in the grounds of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s home of Royal Lodge, in Windsor Great Park, yesterday.
Sarah Ferguson has shared her first Instagram post since news broke of her daughter Princess Beatrice’s secret wedding ceremony broke yesterday
Dressed in an orange cold-shoulder ensemble and a flower hairband, Fergie could be seen standing in the grounds of Royal Lodge, in Windsor Great Park.
Fergie, who has been isolating at the home she shares with Andrew, smiled as she held up today’s book.
She wrote: ‘Today at 4pm on Story Time with Fergie, I am going to be reading Peepo! by Allan and Janet Ahlberg and my guest friend is Michele O’Reilly.’
The bride’s parents, Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York as well as her sister Princess Eugenie, 30, are thought to have been included in yesterday’s nuptials.
Beatrice, 31, married Italian property developer Edo, 37, at a ceremony at the Royal Chapel of All Saints in the grounds of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s home of Royal Lodge, in Windsor Great Park, yesterday (seen last October)
Yesterday, the Queen shared her delight at Princess Beatrice’s surprise secret wedding to Italian property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, saying it was a ‘very nice’ occasion
Beatrice’s surprise ceremony took place with just 20 guests – including the Queen, 94, and the Duke of Edinburgh, 99.
Beatrice, 31, and Edo, were due to tie the knot at the Chapel Royal of St James’s Palace, in London, on 29 May. But their ceremony was postponed due to Covid-19 and no new date was given by the palace at the time.
Yesterday, the Queen shared her delight at Princess Beatrice’s surprise secret wedding to Italian property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, saying it was a ‘very nice’ occasion.
Princess Beatrice with sister Princess Eugenie and parents Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew
The dashing Italian property developer who won Bea’s heart: Father-of-one Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 37, is a long-time family friend who swept her off her feet
Princess Beatrice has married Italian property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in secret at Windsor Castle
Princess Beatrice married fiance Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in a secret wedding in Windsor earlier today – but who is the man that stole the royal’s heart?
The happy couple were due to wed at the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace in London with 150 guests on May 29, but Covid-19 meant they had to postpone their big day.
Having kept their plans quiet, they tied the knot this morning in front of just 20 guests including the Queen, 94, and Prince Philip, 99, at All Saints Chapel in Windsor Great Park.
Beatrice, 31, and Edo, 37, are long-time family friends, but started dating in October 2018 and got engaged in September last year.
The pair said of their 11-month whirlwind romance in a statement: ‘We are extremely happy to be able to share the news of our recent engagement.
Property developer Edoardo is the son of former Olympic skier Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi and Nikki Shale, and has been a friend of the Yorks for some time. The father-of-one has a son, Christopher, with his former partner Dara Huang. He’s said to enjoy an amicable relationship with Huang and prides himself on still being an active part of his son’s life. Edoardo was educated at the prestigious Radley school in Oxfordshire before studying for a Master’s in politics at Edinburgh.
He is believed to have known Beatrice for years, the royal attended the funeral of Edoardo’s stepfather, Christopher Shale, who died at of a heart attack at Glastonbury in 2011; Shale was a close friend of David Cameron.
Father-of-one Edo has a young son, Christopher, whose nickname is Wolfie, with his former partner Dara Huang – meaning Beatrice is now a stepmother. Right, Beatrice with Edo
Proud grandparents the Queen, 94, and the Duke of Edinburgh, 99, were among the roughly 20 guests who watched the couple exchange vows at 11am yesterday morning at the Royal Chapel of All Saints, in the grounds of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s home of Royal Lodge, in Windsor Great Park.
The couple chose to have an intimate ceremony attended by just ‘close family’, according to a statement released yesterday afternoon by Buckingham Palace.
On marriage Beatrice becomes a stepmother to Edo’s son Christopher, known as Wolfie, who is also thought to have attended.
The Queen, who has now watched six of her eight grandchildren wed, shared her joy in a conversation with Captain Sir Tom Moore, whom she knighted at Windsor Castle just hours after the nuptials. She told Sir Tom and his family: ‘My granddaughter got married this morning both Philip and I managed to get there – very nice.’
The chapel, which can accommodate 180 people, was an ideal choice for social distancing, especially given the bride’s grandparents are both in their 90s and in a high risk group. Weddings of up to 30 people are allowed under current government guidelines. The reduced guest list means that the couple will have to celebrate with celebrity friends such as Ellie Goulding, Karlie Kloss and Cressida Bonas at a later date.
Flowers from well-wishers were seen being unloaded from vans after the wedding, as Buckingham Palace confirmed no reception or other event was taking place.
Meet Beatrice’s new in-laws! Royal already enjoys a close relationship with Edoardo’s former Olympian father and even spent lock-down with her new husband’s VERY well-connected mother
So comfortable is Princess Beatrice is the company of her new in-laws that the royal, who has wed boyfriend Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 37, in a secret ceremony, she spent lock-down with her
Newlyweds Beatrice and Edo spent lockdown with her at mother-in-law Nikki Shales £1.5 million country house near Chipping Norton.
She used to run a property company and was awarded an MBE by David Cameron as a parting gift following his resignation at Prime Minister in 2016.
The couple, who were set to marry next week, are staying with Edo’s mother Nikki Shale at her £1.5 million home in Chipping Norton (pictured, Nikki)
Beatrice’s new father-in-law holds both British and Italian citizenship and competed for Great Britain as a skier at the 1972 Winter Olympics
Property developer Edoardo, 34, is the son of former Olympic skier Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi and Nikki Shale, and has been a friend of the Yorks for some time. Edoardo was educated at the prestigious Radley school in Oxfordshire before studying for a Master’s in politics at Edinburgh.
He is believed to have known Beatrice for years, the royal attended the funeral of Edoardo’s stepfather, Christopher Shale, who died at of a heart attack at Glastonbury in 2011; Shale was a close friend of David Cameron.
Princess Beatrice, 31, and Edo, 37, who were due to get married next week, have not joined the rest of the York family for the quarantine period.
Speaking on the City Island podcast, Fergie explained: ‘Edo and Beatrice have been living with her future mother-in-law who is lovely…I’m missing my [other] daughter but it’s just like everybody else, we are just the same family as everybody else.’
Princess Eugenie and Jack normally live in an apartment at Kensington Palace in London but have now moved in with Prince Andrew and Fergie at their home of the Royal Lodge in Windsor.
Nikki was married to Christopher Shale, a senior Tory and a close friend of former Prime Minister David Cameron, before his death at Glastonbury Festival (pictured, Edo with Nikki and David Cameron in 2011 after the memorial service)
Sarah opened up about bonding with Princess Eugenie over the last few months, saying: ‘During this lockdown period I’ve really loved spending more time with Eugenie and Jack.
‘My daughter got married to Jack in, oh goodness, was it last October? No, it was October before, heavens!’
‘And so, of course once she’s gone to get married they live away. So, I haven’t seen her so much and so now it’s been a total joy to spend real quality time with her,’ she said.
‘And, first time in 30 years I even baked a lemon drizzle cake with her, so the first thing is that it’s fantastic,’ she added.
She later revealed she felt ‘sad’ that Princess Beatrice’s nuptials, which were due to take place next week in St James’ Palace, had been postponed due to the pandemic.
She said: ‘It’s sad for me that Beatrice, she was going to get married next week, but they postponed the wedding.
‘Edo and Beatrice have been living with her future mother-in-law who is lovely. Great friend of mine.
‘But I’m missing my other daughter but it’s just like everybody else, we are just the same family as everybody else.’
Nikki split with Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi when Edo was young, while her second husband Christopher Shale, a senior Tory and a close friend of former prime minister David Cameron, died of a heart attack at Glastonbury Festival in 2011.
His stepfather and Nikki’s second husband was Christopher Shale (pictured), a senior Tory and a close friend of former prime minister David Cameron. He died in 2011
A statement released by the palace said: ‘The small ceremony was attended by The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and close family. The wedding took place in accordance with all relevant Government guidelines.’
The couple did not release a wedding photo today because they did not want to overshadow the investiture of Captain Tom Moore, who received his knighthood from the Queen at Windsor Castle.
‘They needed to make the wedding Covid-secure and safe for the Queen so what better way than the All Saints Chapel with reception on site at the Royal Lodge.
‘They are just like a normal family and had to make sacrifices like many others have up and down the country and looking forward to having a wonderful celebration when the time is right.’
Edo is the son of Nikki Shale and Italian former Olympic skier Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi. Nikki split with Mapelli Mozzi when Edo was young, while her second husband Christopher Shale, a senior Tory and a close friend of former prime minister David Cameron, died of a heart attack at Glastonbury Festival in 2011.
Edoardo was previously engaged for three-and-a-half years to the mother of his child, Dara Huang, who he split from in 2018.
Sarah, who has recently signed a publishing deal for seven new books, is already the author of more than 25 books, including the Budgie The Little Helicopter and the Little Red series.
In April the mother of Princess Beatrice and Eugenie shared the first episode to her new YouTube channel, where she put on a very animated performance as she read kid’s classic Hairy Maclary by Lynley Dodd.
The royal told fans she will be joined by others in following episodes, which will be released daily at 4pm.
The mother-of-two is isolating at the Royal Lodge in Windsor, a 30-room residence she shares with her ex-husband Prince Andrew.
In a clip posted to her new YouTube channel, the royal revealed the show is called ‘Storytime with Fergie and Friends’ (pictured)