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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Jennifer Newton

Princess Beatrice's husband was allowed to break Christmas tradition due to Meghan Markle

The royals are getting ready to return to Sandringham for a big family Christmas for the first time in three years.

The Covid pandemic saw them spend the festive season elsewhere for the past two years - but in a few weeks' time, King Charles, Queen Consort Camilla and other royals will be heading there to celebrate.

Among them may be the King's niece Princess Beatrice, her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and their one-year-old daughter Sienna.

The couple married in an intimate wedding in July 2020 - meaning Edoardo now attends official royal events and gets the best seats in the house for celebrations.

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi on Christmas Day 2019 (Getty Images)

But in 2019, before they wed, he was invited to Christmas at Sandringham - even though tradition said he shouldn't actually have been there.

Invites to the family's private Sandringham celebrations are reserved for members of The Firm, and partners normally have to wait until they are married to join in.

But Edoardo was given the rare privilege of joining the Christmas celebrations - despite not officially being part of the family.

The couple at the Chelsea Flower Show earlier this year (PA)

He was seen making his way with the group to St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham before they headed back to the main house for their private festivities.

However, the tradition was also discarded in 2017 when Prince Harry invited his bride-to-be Meghan Markle ahead of their wedding, paving the way for Beatrice to do the same with Edo.

Meghan joined the Royals for the three-day Norfolk celebration as her own family were miles away in America.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attending the Christmas Day Church service in Sandringham in 2017 (Getty Images Europe)

However, the Princess of Wales and Mike Tindall on the other hand had to wait until they had wed their respective spouses Prince William and Zara Tindall before being allowed to tuck into that royal turkey.

This year will be a bittersweet celebration for the royals as it will be their first festive season since the death of the Queen.

However, it could be that this year, Beatrice gets to spend the day with her mum Sarah Ferguson.

Beatrice with her mum Sarah Ferguson and dad Prince Andrew (Getty Images)

According to a Sandringham source, a five-bedroom farmhouse is being prepared for Fergie, 63, and ex-husband Andrew, 62, who will also reportedly be joined by their daughters Beatrice, 34 and Eugenie, 32 - with their own husbands and young children.

It is understood Fergie was banned from attending the family gathering after she was caught on camera having her toe sucked by financial adviser John Bryan.

On Fergie's possible attendance this year, a Sandringham source told The Sun : “Andrew is banned from public life but you can't ban him from family Christmas.

“Staff at Sandringham have been tasked with getting Wood Farm ready for the whole York family.

“For 30 years she used to have Christmas dinner on her own. But things are being done differently now.”

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