Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi’s famous stepfather has hidden Andy Murray link

A bronze statue of Andy Murray will be one of the centrepieces of Wimbledon’s 150th anniversary celebrations. While details of the project have been kept closely guarded since it was announced last year, new information has now been revealed. 

The Telegraph have revealed that Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi’s stepfather, David Williams-Ellis, has been revealed as the sculptor behind the forthcoming bronze statue at the All England Club. 

David has completed a number of high-profile public commissions across the UK, particularly sporting and military memorials. 

Some of his best-known works include the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, France and the statue of Manchester City legends Colin Bell, Mike Summerbee and Francis Lee outside the club’s Etihad Stadium. 

The sculptor behind Andy Murray’s Wimbledon tribute

Mr Williams-Ellis, who said he was selected from a shortlist of three artists, said Sir Andy was remarkably cooperative during their first meeting, repeatedly holding poses for an hour and a half in a small room. 

“He must have done it 50 times. And he was charming, he was smiling and he put his heart into it,” the sculptor told the publication. 

“And he was charming, he was smiling and he put his heart into it. And I was rather surprised. And I spoke to somebody on the way out, and I said, ‘That was amazing. I was expecting him to be a little bit more difficult.'” 

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Mr Williams-Ellis added: “He wasn’t just standing there, frozen in time. He was actually playing a shot. He hadn’t got a ball but he was playing a shot, and nearly falling over through this rather small room. He was flying round the room.” 

The special gift Edoardo commissioned for the late Queen

Princess Beatrice’s husband, Edoardo, previously turned to his stepfather for help when choosing a special gift for the late Queen Elizabeth II. In 2018, while dating the Princess, Edoardo commissioned the renowned sculptor to create a bespoke bronze sculpture for the monarch. 

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“I made the maquette of the Queen and the horse for a project which didn’t actually happen, and Edo and Beatrice saw it and fell in love with it,” David previously told HELLO! in an exclusive interview. 

“They thought that it captured the real spirit of the Queen, Beatrice’s grandmother. It’s always odd talking to someone whose grandmother is the Queen and especially when you’ve done a sculpture of them. 

“Edo decided that he wanted to give one to Beatrice and to give one to the Queen. So, he had them commissioned to be cast. They love it.” 

Edoardo also ended up giving the same sculpture the following year in 2019 for his then girlfriend’s birthday, seeing how much she loved it.