Photographer behind Princess Beatrice and Edoardo’s wedding snaps says capturing the event was ‘a milestone’ of his career and left him feeling ‘incredibly honoured’
- Photographer Benjamin Wheeler took pictures of Princess Beatrice’s wedding
- London-based wedding snapper said he was ‘incredibly honoured’ to be at event
- He added Beatrice and Edoardo’s wedding was a ‘milestone’ in his career
The photographer behind Princess Beatrice and husband Edoardo’s official wedding snaps has opened up about capturing their special day.
Benjamin Wheeler, from London, was behind the lens as Beatrice, 31, and Italian property developer Edoardo Mappeli Mozzi said ‘I do’ during a surprise ceremony at the Royal Chapel of All Saints at the Royal lodge on July 18.
Taking to his Instagram account, Wheeler penned: ‘I was so incredibly honoured to photograph their wedding day, a certain milestone of my career.
Buckingham Palace has so far released two pictures from the happy occasion – both taken by Wheeler.
One shows the happy couple locking hands as they exit the Chapel. In the other, beaming Beatrice and Edo stand next to her grandmother the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in front of the chapel.
Benjamin Wheeler was behind the lens as Beatrice, 31, and Edoardo Mappeli Mozzi said ‘I do’ at the Royal Chapel of All Staints at the Royal lodge on July 18
The photographer said photographing the event was a ‘milestone’ of his career and had left him ‘incredibly honoured’
In his Instagram post, Wheeler went on to thank Gillian Lawtie. a fellow photographer and founder of the Wedding Collective – a wedding directory providing contact details for wedding caterers, photographers, filmmakers and more.
Benjamin was one of the few people to attend the intimate ceremony on Friday, which saw Beatrice wed after postponing her grand May wedding to beau Edoardo.
Beatrice 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.
Instead the couple chose to have an intimate ceremony attended by just ‘close family’, according to a statement released on Friday afternoon by Buckingham Palace.
In the sweet snaps, Beatrice and Edo beam, standing at a safe distance from her grandparents The Queen and Duke of Edinburg
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.
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.
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
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.’
It is understood the couple waiting to release their wedding photos because they did not want to overshadow the investiture of Captain Tom Moore, who received his knighthood from the Queen at Windsor Castle on Friday afternoon.
Edo and Beatrice are understood to have planned the day with the safety of the Queen in mind. The Queen and Prince Philip have been in isolation at Windsor Castle since the start of lockdown.
A friend told the Sun they chose All Saints Chapel because it is just a short three-mile drive from the castle, making it easy for the Queen to attend. They also chose a date before the Queen makes her annual trip up to Balmoral at the end of the month.
The friend added: ‘So many guests were disappointed not to make the big day but understood the reason for it.
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.
A VERY low-key royal wedding: How Beatrice’s nuptials are a far cry from the lavish ceremonies enjoyed by Princess Eugenie and the Duchess of Sussex
THE VENUE
THE DUCHESS OF SUSSEX AND PRINCESS EUGENIE: ST GEORGE’S CHAPEL
The Duchess of Sussex and Princess Eugenie both tied the knot in lavish ceremonies at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank leave St George’s Chapel, Windsor on their wedding day
The Duchess of Sussex and Princess Eugenie both tied the knot in lavish ceremonies at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. The venue was also chosen by Lady Gabriella Windsor.
Steeped in history, the 15th century Gothic chapel offers royal couples a slightly more intimate venue for their wedding, but one that is still appropriately grand.
It usually holds around 800 guests, compared with the 2,000 capacity of Westminster Abbey, where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge married in 2011.
Located within the castle’s grounds and surrounded by the Horseshoe Cloisters and the Henry VIII gate, the venue provides the royal family with a certain amount of privacy on the day of the wedding.
PRINCESS BEATRICE: CHAPEL OF ALL SAINTS
The modest chapel, which was refurbished by George IV in the 1820s, is significantly smaller than St George’s Chapel where her sister Eugenie wed last year with a capacity of just 180 guests.
The chapel is on the grounds of the Royal Lodge, where the Duke and Duchess of York have been staying in lockdown.
According to the St George’s parish website, the Queen normally worships at the Chapel of All Saints for reasons of privacy.
She attends services at the larger St George’s Chapel, where Prince Harry and Meghan wed in 2017, on certain special occasions, such as the Easter morning service every year.
The All Saints Chapel has also been home to more intimate gatherings throughout the royal’s history, including the Queen mother’s funeral in 2002.
The Queen mother lived in the Royal Lodge as a widow and would regularly attend service there, as it’s only 100 yards from the entrance. Queen Victoria also attended services in the chapel.
The modest Chapel of All Saints, which was refurbished by George IV in the 1820s, is significantly smaller than St George’s Chapel where her sister Eugenie wed last year with a capacity of just 180 guests
THE GUEST LIST
THE DUCHESS OF SUSSEX AND PRINCESS EUGENIE: CELEBRITIES, SPORTING STAR, ARISTOCRATIC PALS AND EXTENDED FAMILY
The congregation for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in May 2018 read like a who’s who of Hollywood royalty, with Amal and George Clooney (left) and Oprah Winfrey (right) among those invited
Also in attendance was Meghan’s glamorous girl gang, including Priyanka Chopra, Abigail Spencer, Jessica Mulroney and Misha Nonoo. Pictured, Abigail Spencer (front left) and Priyanka Chopra (front right) with fellow guests at the wedding
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s nuptials were just as starry, with Ellie Goulding, Robbie and Ayda Williams all attending. Their well-heeled circle of friends turned out in force, including Cressida Bonas (left), Poppy Delevingne (centre) and Pixie Geldof (right)
The Duchess of Sussex and Princess Beatrice both had star-studded weddings with hundreds of guests.
The congregation for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in May 2018 read like a who’s who of Hollywood royalty, with Oprah Winfrey and Amal and George Clooney among those invited. Also in attendance was Meghan’s glamorous girl gang, including Priyanka Chopra, Abigail Spencer, Jessica Mulroney and Misha Nonoo.
The large guest list also allowed for large numbers of extended family to be invited, with Kate Middleton’s siblings and their respective partners all making the cut.
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s nuptials were just as starry, with Ellie Goulding, Robbie and Ayda Williams all attending.
Their well-heeled circle of friends were also well represented, with Sir Richard Branson’s daughter Holly and Prince Harry’s ex-girlfriends Chelsy Davy and Cressida Bonas all at the chapel.
PRINCESS BEATRICE: CLOSE FAMILY ONLY
Princess Beatrice and Edo would have been allowed a maximum of 30 people at their wedding due to ongoing government restrictions. Photos reveal the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were among those attended and it is likely the bride’s grandparents would have been among the congregation.
However the restricted numbers mean it is a far less starry affair than they otherwise might have hoped and there will have been fewer members of the royal family in attendance.
Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, for example, might have remained in Norfolk, rather than travel down with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall are celebrating Camilla’s 73rd birthday privately in Wiltshire and so would not have attended.
The bride’s other cousins, including Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips, would also likely missed out due to the small numbers. The pair and their families would have attended a larger ceremony.
It is not known if Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would have flown over from LA for the larger affair, but they almost certainly did not make the journey for the more intimate service.
THE CELEBRATIONS
THE DUCHESS OF SUSSEX AND PRINCESS EUGENIE: CARRIAGE PROCESSIONS, TWO WEDDING RECEPTIONS AND A DAY TWO PARTY FOR EUGENIE
Both Princess Eugenie and Meghan Markle began married life with a carriage procession around Windsor to greet royal fans and wellwishers.
After Meghan and Harry tied the knot, the Queen hosted a lunchtime reception at Windsor Castle for 600 guests, who were served canapes, champagne and wedding cake.
The bride then changed into her second dress – a Stella McCartney halter neck gown – and partied the night away with 200 guests at an evening reception for 200 people, hosted by Prince Charles at Frogmore House.
Princess Eugenie took things one step further, eclipsing even Meghan and Harry’s glamorous nuptials with two days of partying.
Similar to Harry and Meghan, the couple enjoyed a lunchtime reception at St George’s Hall for 850 guests with finger food and champagne, hosted by the Queen.
The couple enjoyed an evening reception with a sit-down meal and dancing at the Royal Lodge in Windsor, the Princess’ family home, where festivities went on until the early hours.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle enjoyed an evening reception for 200 guests at Frogmore House after their wedding, with the bride earing a Stella McCartney gown. Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank at Royal Lodge, Windsor, ahead of the private evening dinner following their wedding. Princess Eugenie’s evening dress was designed by Zac Posen
PRINCESS BEATRICE: PARTY AT A LATER DATE
While a carriage procession was never on the cards for Princess Beatrice, who was always planning a more low key celebration, the rest of her festivities have been even more subdued than expected.
While the couple will no doubt celebrate with their families, Beatrice and Edo will have to wait for a later date to party with friends.
And the Queen was unable to linger after the wedding ceremony to spend time with the newlyweds.
This afternoon Her Majesty was back on duty bestowing Captain Tom Moore with a knighthood, her first official public engagement since lockdown in March.
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