Modern royal marriage: Princess Beatrice's new role as step-mum

With her marriage to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Beatrice becomes a stepmother to his 4-year-old son, "Wolfie". Photo / Benjamin Wheeler, Pool

Princess Beatrice will be a "doting stepmother", friends said last night.

Her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi already has a 4-year-old son, Christopher Woolf Mapelli Mozzi – known as Wolfie – who was both best man and page boy at Friday's Royal Wedding. Wolfie's mother is architect Dara Huang, 38, who was previously engaged to Edo.

Beatrice becomes the first "blood princess" – as her father Andrew calls his two daughters – to become a stepmother. A friend said: "Bea is totally into the step mum role. She's very concerned about getting it right and making every effort to be a second mother to Wolfie.

"She's totally devoted to him and talks about him all the time.

"She's ensured there are loads of pictures of him up in their house, so he feels like he has two families, and they do get on well.

"She has instigated a lot of that, rather than Dara. Bea has always been really close to Edo's family, so it's natural that Wolfie should become part of hers. He's a super little boy and extremely cute. It will be interesting to see what happens when they start their own family – but Bea is so caring, his happiness will always be her number one priority."

Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi celebrated their wedding with their closest family.

📷 The happy couple are pictured with Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. Photograph by Benjamin Wheeler. pic.twitter.com/Ztw1Kk0eRy

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) July 18, 2020

Wolfie was named after Edo's beloved stepfather Christopher Shale, who died suddenly, aged 56, of a heart attack at the Glastonbury festival in 2011. He and Edo's mother Nikki were great friends of the Duke and Duchess of York and Sarah is godmother to their son Alby, 29.

Beatrice and Edo are expected to set up home in her apartment in St James's Palace.

But property developer Edo specialises in creating lavish, no-expenses spared homes for the super-rich, so the couple may decide to move somewhere bigger.

Dara and Edo both share custody of Wolfie, so for Princess Beatrice, it is a thoroughly modern marriage.