Reason Princess Beatrice's wedding was 'less difficult' for Sarah Ferguson than Eugenie's big day
Beatrice and husband Edoardo scaled back their wedding due to COVID-19 restrictions
Princess Beatrice’s wedding was far more relaxed for Sarah Ferguson, who once said the intimate ceremony gave her a chance to be fully involved.
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, has always taken pride in being a hands-on mother, and when it came to her daughters’ royal weddings, she played two very different roles.
Reflecting on the experiences years later, Fergie admitted that Princess Beatrice’s intimate 2020 nuptials were far less “difficult” to navigate than Princess Eugenie’s grand affair in 2018.
Sarah Ferguson on Princess Beatrice’s wedding
Speaking during a public conversation at The 92nd Street Y in New York on March 6, 2023, the duchess offered rare behind-the-scenes insight into how the royal weddings unfolded and how much say she actually had.
“The first one was a little difficult because it was Eugenie’s wedding. That was all sort of taken out of my hands,” Sarah shared, as reported by PEOPLE. “But I did the dress with Eugenie, all the personal bits, which was lovely.”
Eugenie, now 34, married Jack Brooksbank at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on October 12, 2018.
The first one was a little difficult because it was Eugenie’s wedding.
The event was a televised royal celebration with around 800 guests. It came just months after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding at the same venue.
Eugenie’s day included many traditional royal touches, from her Peter Pilotto-designed gown to the carriage ride through Windsor, but also personal elements like the visible back detailing on her dress, proudly showing the scar from her scoliosis surgery.
Sarah, 63, described being somewhat sidelined during the high-profile planning process.
She supported Eugenie emotionally and helped with her fashion choices. However, palace aides managed the grandeur of the event amid royal protocol.
Why did Princess Beatrice have a small wedding?
By contrast, Princess Beatrice’s wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in July 2020 was a far more lowkey and private affair. The ceremony followed COVID-19 restrictions at the time.
Initially planned for May of 2020, the couple rescheduled and quietly tied the knot in a socially distanced ceremony at the Royal Chapel of All Saints in the grounds of the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park.
Due to regulations, the couple only had 20 guests in attendance, including Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
Speaking at the time, a spokesperson shared that Beatrice’s plans had to be altered.
“The couple decided to hold a small private ceremony with their parents and siblings following the postponement of their wedding in May,” they announced.
Sarah described the scaled-down celebration as a “really fun time,” largely because of her deeper involvement.
“The second one was definitely me,” she said. “Because it was [20] people, and it was in the pandemic, and it was in the garden, so I opened it up.”
The Duchess of York hosted the wedding on the grounds of Royal Lodge, where she still resides alongside her ex-husband, Prince Andrew. The relaxed setting and family-oriented vibe gave her the opportunity to take charge.
Beatrice, 35, wore a vintage Norman Hartnell gown loaned to her by her grandmother, the Queen. The gown was updated with puffed organza sleeves and a modernised hemline.
Read more: Princess Beatrice and husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi share kiss in rare PDA moment
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