Friends and family of Princess Beatrice celebrated as Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi was christened at the Chapel Royal in St James’s Palace, but several prominent members of the Royal Family were absent.
Princess Anne had a prior commitment at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Sovereign’s Parade in Camberley, Berkshire. Whereas her daughter, Zara Tindall, was pictured at the Cheltenham racecourse. The equestrian royal, 44, wore a rollneck jumper in a jewel-toned navy blue for the prior event. The Prince and Princess of Wales were also not present at the baptism, and King Charles and Queen Camilla also did not attend despite receiving an invitation and having no official duties scheduled for the day. The King, however, will be making a broadcast announcement in a video message at 8pm on December 12 about his cancer “recovery journey”.
Beatrice, 37, and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 42, hosted close family members and friends to mark the occasion for their second daughter, who arrived prematurely on January 22. She weighed 4 pounds, 5 ounces, and is the couple’s second daughter, following older sister Sienna.
The gathering brought together intimate family connections despite the absence of more senior royals.
In a surprising move, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson attended the ceremony, marking a return to royal events following the removal of their York titles in October.
Princess Eugenie, Beatrice’s younger sister, was also present alongside her husband, Jack Brooksbank.
Speaking about the ceremony, a source told the Daily Mail: “Beatrice has, of course invited her father. But things are not warm between them. However, she’s worried about him.”
The source said: “He’s going through a low ebb with his mental health and she recognises that he dotes on his grandchildren and it would be cruel to deprive him of the chance to attend the christening.”
They added: “Beatrice is determined to keep the focus entirely on her daughter.”
