Princess Beatrice cancels her wedding reception, due to take place in May

Princess Beatrice has cancelled her wedding reception, which was due to take place at Buckingham Palace in May.

Princess Beatrice and her fiancé Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are now consulting experts before deciding whether a private marriage will go ahead. The couple decided against holding their wedding reception at the palace with the UK government recently restricting large gatherings in a bid to halt the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Their wedding was due to take place on May 29 with the ceremony taking place in the Chapel Royal with the Queen hosting a reception for them in the palace's private gardens afterward. Today, a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said:

"Princess Beatrice and Mr Mapelli Mozzi are very much looking forward to getting married but are equally aware of the need to avoid undertaking any unnecessary risks in the current circumstances. "In line with government advice for the UK and beyond, the couple are reviewing their arrangements for 29 May. "They are particularly conscious of government advice in relation to both the wellbeing of older family members and large gatherings of people. "Therefore, the planned reception in the Buckingham Palace Gardens will not take place".

Mr Mapelli Mozzi is from the Lombardy region of Italy, where the coronavirus has wreaked devastation in recent weeks. The death toll in Italy rose by 475 today, the highest daily figure recorded thus far. At the time of writing, the Covid-19 crisis has claimed the lives of an estimated 8,312 people worldwide and currently, over 200,000 have tested positive for the virus. Earlier today, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry released a statement, commenting on the global pandemic.