Duchess Sophie and Prince Edward make top-secret appearance at his goddaughter's wedding

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh attended a top-secret wedding over the weekend for the nuptials of the Prince's goddaughter. 

Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie were on the guest list for the wedding of Ella Mountbatten – who is the eldest daughter of Lord Ivar Mountbatten – and Fergus Wright, according to Tatler. 

The couple was watching as Ella, wearing a tiara, and her new husband drove away in a classic car following the ceremony and reception. 

Ella works for private jet fleet Flexjet in brands and partnerships, while her new husband Fergus also has royal-adjacent heritage. 

© Getty Images

He is the son of Nicholas Richard Wale Wright and Lucinda Benson, the goddaughter of Princess Margaret, and a Marketing Manager at Sky Sports Racing.

Lord Ivar announced their engagement last year in an Instagram post with a picture of the couple and the stunning ring. 

He wrote, "I couldn’t be happier to announce the engagement of my eldest and most precious daughter Ella @ellamountbatten to her fabulous boyfriend Fergus."

He joked: "Ferg is not one to be rushed so I am incredibly pleased that he has finally put us all out of our misery! I know he will look after my daughter to his dying day - they couldn’t be better suited. Enjoy this special time in your life. Much love to you both."

The Edinburghs' close bond with the Mountbattens

Lord Ivar is King Charles's second cousin and the great-great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria, meaning the family has some very royal connections. 

Ella is Prince Edward's goddaughter, while her younger sister, Alexandra, has Duchess Sophie as her godmother. 

Lord Ivar, who made history as the first member of the extended British royal family to be in a same sex marriage after marrying his husband James Coyle, has long been close with the Edinburghs and often hosted them at Bridwell Manor. 

© Lord Ivar Mountbatten

He previously told HELLO! he stays with the family at their Bagshot Park home in Surrey, and he's the godfather to their daughter, Lady Louise Windsor. 

He told HELLO!'s news editor, Laura Benjamin: "Edward and Sophie are clearly good friends, and quite often when Sophie comes down to Devon, she will stay here with us. She always used to stay at Bridwell, but she's also stayed in the farmhouse. Then, in the winter, we go up and stay with them for weekends."

Lord Ivar shares three children with his ex-wife Penny, whom he divorced amicably in 2011: Alexandra, Louisa and Ella Mountbatten. 

Duchess Sophie's whirlwind week

It comes ahead of a very busy week for the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, as they prepare for their son, James, Earl of Wessex, to head to university. 

The Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester, where James will be studying Rural Land & Property Management from September, is welcoming new students to on-campus accommodation from Sunday, before an induction next week, according to its website. 

© Samir Hussein/WireImage

In an official statement confirming the news in August, Buckingham Palace shared: "Having achieved the grades he needed, the Earl of Wessex will be going to the Royal Agricultural University to study Rural Land & Property Management. He will head straight there without taking a year out."

This week, Duchess Sophie is in Zambia to celebrate the country's relationship with the UK. 

The Duchess of Edinburgh will visit Lusaka, Lower Zambezi and Livingstone, as well as Community House for a meeting with President Hichilema.