Princess Beatrice was thrilled to announce her engagement to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. However, a certain royal act could have threatened her happiness and damaged her relationship with Queen Elizabeth.

The Princess of York is currently ninth in the line of succession, which gives her the freedom to marry whoever she wants without needing the Queen’s permission. Before Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, and Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor were born, she did not have the same opportunity.

Following the passing of the 2013 Succession to the Crown Act, the first six heirs in line had to ask for Queen Elizabeth’s permission to marry their significant other. At the time, Beatrice was sixth in line and would have had to receive her grandmother’s approval before she could marry anyone.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Rhondda, Chris Bryant claimed the act was “just a mess” for heirs the first six heirs in line. Before the act was passed, every heir had to ask for Queen Elizabeth’s permission to get married.

In the House of Lords, Lord Wallace explained why the act affected the first six heirs. “A balance has to be found between mitigating against catastrophic but remote hypothetical events of a line being wiped out, and the risk of impinging unnecessarily upon the lives of those who are distant from the throne,” he explained.

Meanwhile, fellow parliament member, Mark Durkan claimed “being careful” meant something else. “I suggest that it would not be beyond the realms of possibility for a person who is No.7 or No.8 to be careful in such matters,” he said.

Some spectators have said Queen Elizabeth may have rejected Princess Beatrice’s engagement to Edoardo because he has a two-year-old son from a previous relationship. However, thanks to her place in the line of succession, she no longer has to abide by the royal rule.

Princess Beatrice, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi attend the Portrait Gala in London on March 12, 2019. David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images
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