Early life and career Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1951, he is the only child of Giampaolo Mapelli Mozzi (1922–1980) by his Swiss wife, Gigliola
née Stoppani (1926–2003), he grew up at the
ancestral seat,
Villa Mapelli Mozzi in Sottoriva near
Ponte San Pietro, where his family's works of art are housed. Another family residence at
Casatenovo, between
Bergamo and
Lake Como also
Villa Mapelli Mozzi, was built in the
15th century as a
monastery and is now a
luxury hotel. From May 1965 to July 1969, Mapelli-Mozzi attended
Downside School as a
boarder, becoming a notable sportsman and excelled in
alpine pursuits. A dual
British and
Italian citizen, he represented Great Britain in three
downhill skiing events at the Sapporo 1972 Winter Olympics. Mixing in
upper-class social circles and a member of the
Ski Club of Great Britain, Mapelli-Mozzi later became an international
art dealer and
curator, and was elected a
Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA).
Ancestry and title Of
ancient descent from Alberto de Mapello, a
City Councilman of
Bergamo, son of Oberto de Mapello, who fought in defence of the
Lombard League in 1168 against Emperor
Frederick I, the Mapelli Mozzi name came about from the marriage in 1808 of Girolamo Mapelli (1785–1842) with Angela Mozzi (1790–1851), granddaughter of Count Enrico Mozzi (1733–1800), great-niece of
Fr Luigi Mozzi and eventual heiress to the Villa Mozzi estate. Their son married Ippolita Giulini di Vialba (1827–1887) becoming
jure uxoris Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi (1815–1879), the father of Paolo Mapelli Mozzi (
cr. Count Mapelli) whose wife was Enrica Tarsis (1866–1941), brother of Giampaolo Tarsis, I Conte di Castel d'Agogna (
cr. 1927). His grandfather Luigi Mapelli Mozzi (1894–1948) married María Mercedes
née Baroli (1891–1979), dividing their time between homes in
Lombardy and the
Côte d'Azur. His great-aunt Carmela Mapelli Mozzi (1895–1947) married in 1920, Uberto Resta-Pallavicino,
II Marchese Pallavicino (
cr. 1910). Luigi Mapelli Mozzi was the second son of Paolo Mapelli Mozzi (1854–1921), elevated as
Count Mapelli by King
Victor Emmanuel III upon the recommendation of
Ottorino Gentiloni. Created by
letters patent in 1913 as a
hereditary count of the
Kingdom of Italy with
remainder to all his male descendants, Mozzi was granted as an
additional surname to the title by
royal decree in 1935, becoming formally styled as
Count Mapelli Mozzi.
Italian noble titles, as with most
European nobility, may continue to be used nowadays by
social courtesy, their
legal standing in Italy having ceased in 1948 and having no formal recognition in the United Kingdom.
Family Mapelli-Mozzi married firstly on 8 March 1978
Nicola "Nikki" Burrows, elder daughter of (Robert) David Burrows (1929–1993) and paternal granddaughter of
Sir Robert Burrows by his wife Eleanor, great-granddaughter of
Emerson Muschamp Bainbridge. They have a daughter and a son,
Edo (born 1983), husband of
Princess Beatrice. Mapelli-Mozzi married secondly in 1988 Margaretha
née von Eckermann, formerly wife of Jan
Ankarcrona and a descendant of
Western Pomeranian
Swedish nobility. He married thirdly, in 1994,
horse breeder Fiona Wilson. Thrice divorced, Mapelli-Mozzi now lives in
Provence, France. ==See also==