Princess Beatrice has opened up about the “months of sheer worry” surrounding her daughter’s birth

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi announced the happy news in January 2025 that they had welcomed their second daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose.

"Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, born on Wednesday, 22nd January, at 12:57pm, at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London," read a statement from Buckingham Palace. "The baby was born weighing 4 pounds and 5 ounces.

"Princess Beatrice and Mr Mapelli Mozzi would like to thank all the staff at the hospital for their wonderful care.

"Her Royal Highness and her daughter are healthy and doing well, and the family are enjoying spending time together with Athena’s older siblings, Wolfie and Sienna."

The royal couple has kept a low profile in the months since Athena's birth, focusing on spending time privately as a family.

However, this week, Princess Beatrice spoke out about the difficulties of her daughter's premature birth, penning an essay for British Vogue about the need for more research around improving female health outcomes.

"Nothing quite prepares you for the moment when you realise your baby is going to arrive early," the 36-year-old royal reflected in her personal essay. "There’s so little control. Will she arrive healthy? Will there be complications? How will you juggle the rest of family life while trying to keep a tiny human safe and well?

"Athena arrived healthy, a few weeks before her due date," Princess Beatrice later continued after speaking of the "uncertainty" and "overwhelming fear of the unknown."

"She was so tiny it took more than a few weeks for the tears of relief to dry and for life with our healthy baby to feel real. Her feet were so small – almost the same size as the paws on one of my older daughter’s soft bunnies.

"I’m extremely pleased to let you know Athena is now doing really well," she later concluded. "I have a few more answers as to what happened, but still no precise explanation.

"Looking back over those months of sheer worry, I am filled with a sense of determination that more can be done to help others find answers to those questions around the complications that can lead to preterm birth – questions that defined my days (and nights) during pregnancy."

Read Princess Beatrice's personal essay in full at British Vogue.

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