Home Scandal and Gossip Italian couple who met from neighboring Verona balconies during COVID isolation marry

Italian couple who met from neighboring Verona balconies during COVID isolation marry

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Michele D'Alpaos and Paola Agnelli,
Pictured, Michele D'Alpaos and Paola Agnelli who met across their balconies in Verona, Italy during that county's strict coronavirus lockdown in March.
Michele D'Alpaos and Paola Agnelli,
Pictured, Michele D’Alpaos and Paola Agnelli who met across their balconies in Verona, Italy during that county’s strict coronavirus lockdown in March.

Paola Agnelli & Michele D’Alpaos Italian couple who met from neighboring Verona balconies during COVID isolation set to marry. 

A couple who met in March during Italy‘s strict 10 week lockdown on their balconies in Verona and started a type of long-distance relationship have announced that they are set to marry.

Paola Agnelli, 40, a lawyer, first spotted Michele D’Alpaos, 38, when they were both on their balconies at 6pm for the community balcony concert designed to keep spirits lifted. 

Mr D’Alpaos said to The Times‘We are absolutely getting married and all we have to do is set the date.

‘We are considering a ceremony on the large roof terrace of my building, which would make sense since we met on our balconies.’

They met during a community balcony concert, when Paola’s violinist sister, Lisa Agnelli, was playing Queen’s ‘We Are The Champions’ and Paola was helping with the sound. 

Paola Agnelli & Michele D'Alpaos
Have Paola Agnelli & Michele D’Alpaos already married? It may appear so from above Facebook post from the Italian lawyer.

Coronavirus love relationship that mirrors Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet

D’Alpaos tracked down Paola’s Instagram account and the pair started messaging until 3am. 

‘That night we wrote to each other until the early hours,’ Paola told BBC. ‘We realized we shared the same values and that those would be a solid base for a relationship – we are both determined people but also kind and sensitive.’

Because they couldn’t meet due to coronavirus restrictions, their relationship was based on talking on the phone.

Ironically their love relationship mirrors that of a Shakespeare’s famed Romeo & Juliet play whose star crossed love characters were forbidden to consummate their love as a result of their respective feuding families in Renaissance Verona, Italy. 

The couple became viral after D’Alpaos erected a huge banner on the top floor of the building with ‘Paola’ written on it, in a bid to express his emotions. 

Explained Paula, ‘He organized a big surprise for me by writing my name on a bed sheet and hanging it out on the balcony – I was very moved by it. Michele knows how to caress my soul with his sweet words.’

The pair were able to actually meet for a date in a local park in May. 

The couple, who are both unmarried, have lived opposite each other for most of their lives but have never met properly apart from a chance meeting a year ago.

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