Princess Beatrice's husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, has no prospect of inheriting his family's historic Italian estate, according to a relative who jointly owns the property.
Dario Mapelli Mozzi, 75, who is a cousin of Edoardo's father Alessandro, stated that the royal's hopes of claiming the Lombardy palazzo are non-existent.
He explained: "It would be impossible for Edo or his sister to inherit the villa, they have no share in it and there are other more legitimate heirs.
"I know who Edo is but I've never met him."
Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi has ‘no claim’ to crumbling £3m Italian family villa, his cousin insists
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The villa, once a magnificent residence, has fallen into severe disrepair and is regarded as virtually impossible to sell.
An attempt to find a buyer two years ago at a price of £3million collapsed due to reported disagreements within the family.
A subsequent plan to convert the building into a care facility was also thought to have come to nothing.
A property specialist from Bergamo, who was involved in the sales effort, described the challenges facing any potential purchaser.
Villa Mapelli Mozzi pictured in 2010
|WIKIPEDIA
"It's a beautiful building and some of the frescoes are wonderful but the place needs a lot of work - the plaster is falling away and the roof also needs a lot of attention," they said.
The property expert noted they had read about a family member who married into the British Royal Family and works as a property developer, suggesting Edoardo could purchase and restore the villa to its former glory.
The estate now primarily serves as a venue for weddings and celebrations.
According to Italian land registry documents, neither Edoardo nor his father Alessandro possess any ownership stake in the partially ruined palazzo.
Princess Beatrice and Edoardo got married in 2020 | PAThe records indicate that Edoardo's branch represents a junior line of the Mapelli Mozzi family, which means they hold no legal entitlement to the property.
Their only connection to the estate appears to be a claim to a modest orchard on the grounds.
Dario currently shares ownership of the villa with his sister and another cousin, making them the legitimate proprietors.
Even if the property were sold in its current condition, it would likely fetch no more than £2.5million, with no financial benefit to Edoardo's side of the family.
Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi is a high-end property developer | PADario revealed that there had been discussions about Edoardo visiting the family home several years ago whilst holidaying in Tuscany, but the trip never materialised.
The 75-year-old continued to tell the Mail: "There was talk of Edo coming to stay a few years ago when he was on holiday in Tuscany, but he never arrived.
"He has certainly never been here to see the house. I don't think he can even speak Italian."
Edoardo runs property company Banda, which experienced significant growth following his 2020 wedding to Princess Beatrice.