Buckingham Palace found itself in an embarrassing situation this week when it was forced to correct a glaring error in the announcement of Princess Beatrice’s second pregnancy.
The royal family’s official social media channels had shared the joyous news, accompanied by heartwarming photos of Beatrice, her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and their children.
However, what should have been a smooth celebration of this special moment quickly turned into a scramble to fix an awkward blunder.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Palace’s social media accounts shared two new pictures of Princess Beatrice and her family to announce that she is expecting her second child.
The first image showed the princess walking along a picturesque country lane with her husband, Edoardo, and their two children—blonde-haired Sienna, who is two years old, and her stepbrother, Wolfie, walking hand-in-hand with them.
But the excitement of the announcement was somewhat overshadowed by a typographical mistake in the accompanying statement.
The post read: “Her Royal Highess Princess Beatrice and Mr. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are very pleased to announce that they are expecting their second child together early in the new year; a sibling for Wolfie and Sienna.”
It didn’t take long for royal watchers and social media users to notice that “Highness” had been misspelled as “Highess.”
What was intended to be a perfectly crafted announcement of such personal and important news for Princess Beatrice quickly became the subject of comments pointing out the typo.
As soon as the error was posted, the comments section lit up with remarks from eagle-eyed followers of the Royal Family.
One user commented, “Do they not read what they wrote before they post?”, expressing their disbelief at the mistake.
Another follower added, “Her Royal Highness,”* providing the correction with a mix of lightheartedness and frustration.
Another noted the mistake with simple exasperation: “They spelt ‘Highess’ not ‘Highness’. The palace missed the N.”
The Palace quickly realized its error and moved swiftly to correct it. The original post was deleted, and a new version was uploaded with the correct spelling.
However, by then, the mistake had already gone viral, leading to widespread discussion among royal fans and in the media.
Despite the minor hiccup in the announcement, the news itself is a cause for celebration.
Princess Beatrice, who married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020, is expecting their second child together, which will also be her husband’s third.
Edoardo has a son, Christopher Woolf—nicknamed Wolfie—from a previous relationship with American architect Dara Huang.
The new royal baby, due early in the new year, will be 11th in line to the throne, bumping Princess Beatrice’s younger sister, Princess Eugenie, down to 12th place.
Eugenie’s sons, August and Ernest Brooksbank, will also move down to 13th and 14th in the line of succession.
The baby will also be the 14th great-grandchild of the late Queen Elizabeth II and the second born since her passing in 2022.
This pregnancy follows the birth of Princess Beatrice and Edoardo’s first child, a daughter named Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi, who was born at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital on September 18, 2021.
Sienna’s middle name, Elizabeth, was chosen in honor of Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away a year later.
Beatrice and Edoardo’s blended family has been an important part of their story, with Wolfie playing a prominent role in their lives since they married.
The couple has been praised for the way they have navigated their family dynamics, ensuring that Wolfie feels included and loved.
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He even had a special role at their intimate wedding in 2020, which took place under strict COVID-19 restrictions.
At just 2 years old, Sienna is already showing signs of being a doting big sister.
The photos released by the Palace showed her walking hand-in-hand with her father and stepbrother, Wolfie, on a country path, a scene that reflects the close-knit bond they’ve built as a family.
As for the new baby on the way, royal watchers are already eager to see how Princess Beatrice and Edoardo will continue to blend their traditions with a more modern approach to family life.
The new addition to the royal family is sure to bring joy to both the couple and their extended families, including King Charles III, who was reportedly “delighted” by the news, according to the official Palace statement.
While the Palace’s original blunder may have drawn some unwanted attention, the corrected announcement has allowed royal fans to shift their focus back to celebrating Princess Beatrice’s exciting news.
Blunders like this, while embarrassing, are a reminder that even the most carefully managed institutions can make human errors.
With the baby expected to arrive early next year, Princess Beatrice and Edoardo will be preparing for the newest chapter in their lives as parents of two.
As the royals gear up for another addition to their growing family, attention will once again be on Princess Beatrice as she balances her royal duties, motherhood, and her roles in charitable endeavors.
As for the public, they’ll be eagerly awaiting more updates on the pregnancy, potential baby names, and the couple’s journey toward welcoming their newest family member—hopefully without any more spelling errors from Buckingham Palace in the process.
