Princess Beatrice has adjusted her Christmas plans due to health reasons. A source informed PEOPLE that due to her pregnancy, Beatrice, 36, and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 41, will be joining the royal family for the Christmas gathering at Sandringham instead of traveling to Italy to be with her in-laws as originally intended. It is unlikely that Beatrice will participate in the walk to church, the source added. Sandringham serves as the traditional Christmas destination for the royal family, with King Charles hosting the festivities. Beatrice’s daughter Sienna Elizabeth, 3, and stepson Christopher “Wolfie” Woolf, 8, are also expected to attend the celebrations, according to Hello! magazine.
News of Beatrice’s pregnancy was revealed in October. A statement from Buckingham Palace announced, “Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are very pleased to announce that they are expecting their second child together in early spring; a sibling for Wolfie, aged eight, and Sienna, aged three.” King Charles also expressed his happiness over the news, with the statement mentioning, “His Majesty The King has been informed and both families are delighted with the news.”
While most of the royal family will be present at Sandringham for the holiday, Princess Eugenie, 34, Beatrice’s younger sister, will be absent this year as she has accepted an invitation to spend the holidays with her in-laws. Princess Beatrice’s parents, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, will also be notably missing from the gathering. Despite no longer being married, the pair shares a residence at the Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate. They reportedly declined their initial invitation following public backlash over The Duke of York’s alleged interactions with a known Chinese spy. Prince Andrew, 64, and Ferguson, 65, are expected to spend the day at home away from public view.
The Independent reported that Ferguson encouraged Prince Andrew to skip the Sandringham Christmas in light of the scandal, relinquishing her own invitation in the process. “The decision for the pair to stay put at the Royal Lodge is thought to have been made easier by Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie’s plans to spend Christmas with their respective in-laws this year for the first time,” the outlet stated.
