Distant Royal Cousin Daisy Knatchbull Announces Engagement to Italian Music Executive
Daisy Knatchbull, the 33-year-old Savile Row tailor and distant cousin of Princes William and Harry, has publicly announced her engagement to Italian music executive Giovanni Damiani, aged 40. The couple shared their joyful news on Instagram this Sunday, revealing intimate details of their sun-drenched proposal in the Bahamas.
A Quirky Proposal with a Gift Shop Ring
The engagement announcement featured a charming video clip showing Damiani's creative proposal, where he used seaweed to spell out 'Will you marry me' in the sand. In keeping with their unconventional style, Knatchbull proudly displayed her unique engagement ring - a turtle-shaped accessory she described as a 'gift shop ring' and 'cheap as chips' in her social media caption.
'Getting hitched, and making gift shop turtle rings a thing,' wrote Knatchbull alongside images showing her wearing a floral bikini and beaming with happiness. The post quickly attracted congratulations from notable figures including actress Sophie Turner, celebrity chef Nigella Lawson, and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, husband of Princess Beatrice.
What to Expect from Their Society Wedding
According to Richard Eden, Diary Editor at the Daily Mail, this engagement signals what promises to be one of the most distinctive society weddings in recent memory. Sources suggest the fashion-forward couple might both opt for 'top hats and tails' when they exchange their wedding vows, reflecting Knatchbull's signature tailoring aesthetic and their shared unconventional approach to tradition.
Knatchbull, a great-granddaughter of the 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, has made her name in fashion circles as a pioneering Savile Row tailor specializing in women's trouser suits. Rarely seen in dresses, the designer maintains a distinctive personal style that extends to her romantic life.
Celebrity Connections and Career Ambitions
The designer counts numerous high-profile clients among her customer base, most notably the Princess of Wales, who has frequently worn Knatchbull's creations to public events. Last November, Kate Middleton turned heads at the Future Workforce Summit in London wearing Knatchbull's ivory 'Cascade' blouse paired with a Roland Mouret suit - a look that retails for £600 and has become one of the Princess's wardrobe staples.
Other celebrity clients include Bridgerton actress Adjoa Andoh and Sex Education star Gillian Anderson. Despite her elite clientele, Knatchbull has emphasized her desire to make her designs accessible, telling The Daily Mail: 'Our clients are just normal people who want to look and feel beautiful, and we can do that for them.'
Personal Life and Future Plans
In a recent interview with Hello! magazine, Knatchbull revealed that she and Damiani live together in London and enjoy sharing Italian meals, Sunday lunches, barbecues, and dinner parties when not working. The designer also opened up about her thoughts on balancing career and motherhood, expressing concerns about timing.
'I'm close to being 32, and in three years, I'm a geriatric mother, right?' she told the publication. 'It's that age-old problem: I'm a woman, and I want a career and kids. How do I balance that?'
Knatchbull explained that her current lifestyle involves frequent international travel for trunk shows, making it challenging to consider starting a family immediately. She aims to wait approximately three years to become a 'present mother' while continuing to focus on what she humorously described as 'complete world domination' in her fashion career.
The designer launched her Savile Row storefront, The Deck, in 2019 before rebranding it as Knatchbull in October 2024. Her relationship with Damiani, while keeping a relatively low public profile, appears to complement both their busy international careers while maintaining a strong domestic foundation in London.
