‘I sat in front of Princess Beatrice at church and was stunned by how her husband behaved’

Former Conservative Cabinet minster Nadine Dorries says her church encounter with Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi ‘made it clear exactly what kind of man he is’

Friends say Beatrice and Edoardo’s marriage is as strong as ever (Image: Getty)

A former government minister was stunned by the actions of Princess Beatrice’s husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi after a chance encounter in church.

Novelist-turned-Conservative politician Nadine Dorries says that she saw Edoardo behaving very poorly at a church service, and says the 42-year-old aristocrat’s actions indicate a very poor character.

Writing in the Mail, former Conservative Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Nadine said: “At a church service organised by a mutual friend, I found Beatrice and Eugenie and their husbands seated behind me.

“Edo was laughing loudly and generally behaving like a disrespectful teenager so that, at one point, I turned round and gave him the evil eye that only a woman my age – and a mother – can bestow. To his credit, he got the message, pronto.”

Edoardo has been spending a lot of time in the US of late (Image: Getty)
Wild rumours have circulated in recent days that Beatrice and Edoardo’s marriage was in trouble after they appeared to be spending less time together. However, the bombshell claims have been swiftly shut down, with one friend of the couple telling Hello! Magazine insisting: “The only thing Bea and Edo are navigating are their busy jobs and looking after their children! They’ve both had recent stints working abroad and like so many working parents, have balancing work with looking after the kids.

“Recent reports that things aren’t good between them are not true at all. Things are great between them and the only distance between them recently has been physical distance because of work!”

Beatrice and Eugenie’s scandal-hit father was stripped of his titles (Image: Getty)

Both Beatrice and her younger sister Princess Eugenie have maintained a rather low profile since Andrew’s arrest on his birthday in February. Neither of the sisters were seen at Cheltenham races this month with other royals, and they are not expected to take part in the traditional carriage procession or at Ascot in June.

Royal author Phil Dampier said that the sisters were too “tarnished” by recent revelations about their family’s connection to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The sisters are much less likely to see seen at royal events, experts say (Image: Getty

While Beatrice and Eugenie are still nominally royals, Ingrid Seward, the editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, says they are unlikely to be seen at any royal event for the foreseeable future. She explained: “By inviting them, you’re inviting the public to comment on them, which puts them in an uncomfortable situation.

“People will ask: ‘Are you trying to cash in on contacts that have been given to you by Andrew or Sarah?'”