24 February 2024 , 13:03
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Tradition is, in some ways, at the core of the monarchy, but the Royal Family sometimes shows themselves willing to move with the times - bending or in fact breaking - their own rules when appropriate.
One such tradition surrounds the annual Christmas festivities at the Sandringham Estate - and who is allowed to attend. Meghan Markle was, back in 2017, the first to attend the Christmas Day celebrations without being officially married into the Royal Family, whilst she was engaged to Prince Harry and preparing for their upcoming wedding, which would take place a few months later in May 2018.
Once the rule had been bent to allow Meghan to attend because she was living in London at Nottingham Cottage, Kensington Palace with her husband-to-be and her family were, of course, on the other side of the Atlantic, it was broken once again for Princess Beatrice's husband - then fiancé.
Edoardo broke this royal rule (Getty Images)In 2019, after the engagement between him and Beatrice had been announced, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi joined the Christmas celebrations with the senior royals and was seen attending church with his partner's family.
However, for other married-in royals this rule was strictly adhered to, with Kate not attending the Christmas 2010 celebrations, despite being engaged to Prince William and neither was Mike Tindall during his engagement to Zara allowed to attend - both having to wait until after their weddings to receive an invite, once they were officially part of the family.
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As reported in The Express, a royal expert - Richard Fitzwilliam - explained when the rule was first broken for Meghan, "In 2010 Kate was not invited to do so after her engagement to William nor was Mike Tindall after his to the Princess Royal's daughter Zara Phillips and only spouses and close family are usually invited.
"However Harry and Meghan will be living together at Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace and her family are in the United States. The monarchy relies heavily on precedent and tradition but it also makes its own."
A few months after Edoardo first attended a royal Christmas, he and Beatrice were married in a secret ceremony in Windsor. Amid the Covid-19 pandemic when social distancing restrictions were still in place, the wedding saw only their closest relatives attend and a handful of photographs were released by the palace of the event.
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