Image copyright Getty Images “You will never be alone my love, my heart is your home. hand, today, tomorrow and forever. “
These were the words chosen by Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi inhis Instagram post,announcing hisengagementto Princess Beatrice on Thursday.
So who is the man who will become the newest member of the Royal Family?
Known as Edo, the
– year-old millionaire property tycoon is descended from Italian aristocracy, according to AFP news agency.
He has a young son called Wolfie with Dara Huang , his ex-fiancee, meaning Princess Beatrice will become a stepmother when the pair marry next year.
Edoardo’s father – Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi – is a count and former alpine skier whocompeted for Great Britainin the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan.
His mother is Nikki Williams-Ellis, whois married tothe sculptor David Williams-Ellis.
She was previously married to Christopher Shale, a senior Tory and close friend of former prime minister David Cameron.
Mr Shale died from heart disease at Glastonbury Festival in 2011.
Mrs Williams-Elliswas appointed MBEin 2016, after beingput forward by Mr Cameronon his resignation honors list.
Mr Mapelli Mozzi is the director of Banda, a property development firm, according toCompanies House.
On its website, Banda says its mission is to create “exceptional homes”, and Mr Mapelli Mozzi’s Instagram feed is filled with photographs of luxurious houses in London and New York which the company has been involved with.
His former flat – which he was selling in 2017 – is equally as stylish.
According to his LinkedIn page, Mr Mapelli Mozzi – an alumnus of the University of Edinburgh – had developed more than 400, 000 sq ft of London property with an estimated value of £ 700 m by the time he was 30.
He also co-founded thecharity Cricket Builds Hope. His stepfather came up with the idea but died before he could take if further.
The organization coaches people to play cricket in Rwanda “as a tool for positive social change”.
Mr Mapelli Mozzi’s Twitter account is dominated with discussion about property, but he has previously expressed support for campaigns against plastic pollution in the oceans and whaling in Japan.
Further back, the account has posted messages about gun control in the US, following the Florida school shooting, and also used the hashtag “I’mWithHer” on the night of the 2016 US presidential election.
He also used Twitter to criticize politicians Andrea Leadsom and Jeremy Corbyn.
In 2016, ahead of the London Mayoral election, hewrote a piece for Property Weeksaying there were “simply not enough homes being built” and the future mayor must be more forceful in pushing through redevelopment projects in central London.
Mr Mapelli Mozzi has been a friend of Beatrice’s family for some time.
The BBC’s royal correspondent, Jonny Dymond, said he believed the pair had been together for about two years – and that they have only been seen together in public a handful of times.
He said things have “moved pretty quickly”.
Mr Mapelli Mozzi designed the engagement ring himself, with the help of British jeweler Shaun Leane.
The large round brilliant cut central solitaire is set on a band of tapered diamond baguettes.
It is not known how much the ring cost, but the non-bespoke rings listed on Mr Leane’s website are priced from £ 5, 200 to £ 16, 700
It has not yet been revealed where the wedding – which will be the fourth royal wedding in two years – will take place.
The previous three royal weddings (the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Princess Eugenie and Lady Gabriella Windsor) were held in St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.
York Minster could also be an option. Mr Mapelli Mozzi and Beatrice – who is the Princess of York – attended the wedding of their friend, the pop star Ellie Goulding, at the cathedral, in August.
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