I had completely forgotten about this story, but I find it even more relevant now, more than three years after the fact. Do you remember in December 2016, there was SO much conversation about how Prince Andrew was trying to convince his mother that no matter who his daughters married, those men definitely needed a title? The suggestion was that a man marrying a “blood princess” should at least be given an earldom for their trouble. It was part of the narrative that Andrew would often go behind Charles’ back and sweet-talk his mother into sh-t. In any case, it didn’t work for Princess Eugenie – she married Jack Brooksbank and no one knows if the Queen even offered him a title (I don’t think she did). But what about Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi? Will he get a title? Turns out, he already has one. Which means Beatrice will become a contessa??

She’s already royalty, but Princess Beatrice will soon add more titles to her name. Queen Elizabeth‘s granddaughter will marry Italian financier Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi on May 29, and she’s gaining more than a husband and a stepson. Because Edoardo descends from Italian aristocracy, Princess Beatrice will be an Italian “Contessa” and “Nobile Donna,” or noble woman, following their wedding.

Edoardo’s father is Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi, and as his oldest son, Edoardo will inherit the family’s ancestral seat, the 18th century Villa Mapelli Mozzi palace in northern Italy.

“Edoardo is the only male descendent taking the family into the next generation,” the groom-to-be’s father told The Daily Mail. “He is a count — his wife will be a countess automatically and any of their children will be counts or nobile donna.”

Alessandro added that Edoardo, 36, and Beatrice, 31, are “very suited to each other.”

“I’ve never seen him so happy,” the proud dad said.

[From People]

This reminds me of two things simultaneously: one, on Downton Abbey, Lady Edith fell in love with some rando and through the right sequence of events, the rando inherited a title and a vast estate and Edith became the daughter who “married well” (and not to some distant cousin either). The second thing it reminds me of is Pippa Middleton and Terribly Moderately Wealthy James Matthews, and how James’ family basically bought a random title as a two-for-one deal with a Scottish estate. So Pippa gets a “title” at some point too. Anyway, I didn’t actually know that Beatrice would end up a contessa and Nobile Donna, so that’s interesting. Again… what’s going on with Edo? I feel like… there really hasn’t been enough examination of his background and personality.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Instagram.