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The mother of Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi’s glamorous ex has broken her silence on his rumoured ‘marriage troubles’ with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s daughter – after the York sisters continue to face scrutiny over their parents’ ties to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
And despite reports that Princess Beatrice’s six-year marriage is on the rocks – with sleek architect Edo recently spotted sipping wine in Palm Beach while his wife was back home in the UK – Lily, whose daughter Dara Huang was once engaged to the sleek architect, admitted it would be ‘a shame’ if there was a split.
Dara, 43, became engaged to Edo in 2017 after the pair met in 2015. One year later, they had their son Wolfie, who is now nine.
But their relationship was short-lived and they parted ways in 2018, just weeks before rumours broke out that Edo and Beatrice were in a relationship.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Lily shared that her grandson Wolfie visits in the summer.
‘We are both very old and my husband is sick,’ she added. ‘I never ask Wolfie about his stepmother but I see her on the television.’
However, she revealed, they ‘never see Edo’ – adding: ‘Why should we see him or speak with him?’
Friends of Edo and Beatrice told The Mail on Sunday there has been a ‘noticeable distance’ between the pair since the Epstein scandal devoured the York family and that ‘things haven’t been great for a while between them’, but that ‘Beatrice is determined to soldier on and forge a path through this crisis’.
However, nothing has been confirmed and it has been reported that sources close to the couple insist rumours of marriage trouble are unfounded. Before Edo’s whirlwind romance with Beatrice – which saw them begin dating and engaged within 11 months – he was engaged to fellow architect Dara.
When asked if it was love at first sight, she previously told Lifestyle Asia: ‘He was the father of my child, and he left as quickly as he came, so I would say unfortunately it’s not an instinct you can trust!’
Dara (right) became engaged to Edo in 2017 after the pair met in 2015. One year later, they had their son Wolfie. But their relationship was short-lived and they parted ways in 2018, just weeks before rumours broke out that Edo and Beatrice were in a relationship
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Lily (left) shared that her grandson Wolfie visits in the summer
Glamorous Dara has worked for celebrities including Margot Robbie and was a head judge on Channel 4’s 2023 show The Big Interiors Battle.
The Harvard graduate, is also focused on growing her new furniture brand, Dara Maison.
She has in the past expressed her appreciation for her co-parenting situation.
‘Wolfie has had two sets of parents trying to help him on both sides, and I just think, “the more, the merrier”,’ she told Harper’s Bazaar.
In recent years, Wolfie – whose real name is Christopher – has joined the Royal Family on official engagements, such as the Princess of Wales’s carol concert.
Wolfie made his first official appearance with the family at the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee pageant in 2022.
He sat in between his father and stepmother, who refers to him as her ‘bonus son’, in the royal box outside Buckingham Palace.
More recently, Dara appeared to experiment with a foray into reality TV as she was set to appear on Ladies of London – but has already decided to quit the show.
She declared ‘I’m not made for’ reality TV within two episodes amid tensions with her castmates.
During her brief time on screen, Dara was confronted at a dinner party by antiques dealer Kimi Murdoch, who told her: ‘I heard a rumour you were a madam.’
She claimed she’d been told by designer Martha Sitwell and actress Margo Stilley.
Fellow castmate Myka Meier, 43, defended Dara against the ‘horrible’ accusation at a tea party, adding it ‘couldn’t be further’ from the truth – but this did not win Dara’s loyalty.
During episode two, model Missé Beqiri confronted Dara about branding Myka – an etiquette expert with close links to the Royal Family – ‘cringe’ and ‘tacky’ behind her back.
Before Edo’s whirlwind romance with Beatrice – which saw them begin dating and engaged within 11 months – he was engaged to fellow architect Dara. Beatrice and Edo seen in 2022
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Dara denied making the remarks and said ‘Myka’s my sister’ – but a hot mic later caught her admitting ‘I did say those things’ before she told the group she wasn’t cut out for reality TV.
In an interview with Decider, Myka said she and Dara ‘no longer speak’ and also suggested Beatrice may not have been happy about her stint on the show.
Reflecting on Dara’s exit from the show, Myka – who runs New York-based Beaumont Etiquette – said: ‘I love [Beatrice], I’ve always loved her. But I think that, you know, I’m sure they had many conversations and [Dara] still chose to do what she did.
‘And I think now we see the result.’
Dara’s father emigrated from Taiwan to the US before he became a NASA rocket scientist.
She has an undergraduate degree from the University of Florida – where she grew up – and a Master’s in architecture from Harvard.
She has spoken openly about being a child of immigrants on social media.
In March 2022, she told her social media followers: ‘What does an immigrant look like? My mother was an immigrant of war; leaving everything she had to flee to Taiwan.
‘My father, was the only child of 7 who could afford to be educated. He immigrated to the USA on a full scholarship.
‘After, he served the US government for 40 years at NASA (once part of the military) and pledged his allegiance to defend his new country.
‘I am an immigrant of the United Kingdom. The values of working hard, appreciating opportunity, not taking things for granted and fighting for a better life were the values that I was taught led by the two best examples. We all received dual citizenship.’
She continued: ‘Immigration can be a wonderful thing; a contribution to society, a creation of new prosperity and the beginning of hope. Let’s open our hearts and help those around us, at this time.’
Dara established her own architecture and interior design company, Design Haus Liberty, in 2013 and later founded Vivahouse, which converts disused commercial properties into living spaces.
She has worked on projects including the Tate Modern gallery in London and the Tribeca skyscraper in New York – and won awards including the Clifford Wong Prize, the KPF Travelling Fellowship and the Young Architects Award.
Dara had also previously appeared as an expert on Channel 4 programme Britain’s Most Expensive Houses.
Speaking to Architecture Magazine in February, Dara opened up about her upbringing inspiring her line of work.
She explained: ‘I loved drawing in my childhood and this led to a career in architecture.
‘Growing up, I was exposed to diverse cultures and their unique architectural marvels.
‘I remember being fascinated by the way different spaces made me feel and how design could profoundly influence our experiences.’
Dara was granted British citizenship in January 2022 – she announced the news with a picture holding her new citizenship in front of a Union Flag and a portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth.
She currently lives in Chelsea, west London, with her son and is in a relationship with London-based financier, Filippos Kodellas de la Morena, who she met in 2020.
When her former fiancé and Beatrice announced their engagement, she told the Daily Mail: ‘I wish the best for Edoardo and Beatrice and look forward to uniting our families.’
Beatrice has been described as a hands-on stepmother, while her mother Sarah Ferguson has said she considers Wolfie a grandson.
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