Princess Beatrice has said the premature birth of her daughter was “humbling”. The late Queen’s granddaughter’s second child, Athena Elizabeth Rose, was born several weeks premature on 22 January.
Beatrice, 36, said she endured “months of sheer worry” during her pregnancy, adding that women’s health had “been left off the agenda” in the past. In a personal essay for British Vogue, the princess said her baby was “so tiny it took more than a few weeks for the tears of relief to dry”, adding that Athena, who is 11th in line to the throne, was “doing really well”. The royal said: “Nothing quite prepares you for the moment when you realise your baby is going to arrive early. There’s so little control.
“The uncertainty leaves you with an overwhelming fear of the unknown.”
The royal, who earlier this month was appointed as the new patron of prematurity charity Borne, added: “Following routine scans we became aware our precious cargo needed close monitoring, and understood we needed to prepare for an early arrival.
“What I learnt in this process has been humbling”.
Beatrice, who is ninth in line to the throne, is married to property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. The princess had been due to give birth in early spring, and in December received medical advice not to travel long distances.
She joined the royal family at church in Sandringham on Christmas Day after changing her travel plans from spending the festive period overseas, with doctors said to have warned that a premature arrival was a possibility.
Beatrice’s older daughter Sienna, three, also has Elizabeth as a middle name in honour of the princess’s grandmother the late Queen, who died in 2022. Beatrice is also stepmum to Edo’s eight-year-old son Wolfie.
Beatrice married millionaire property tycoon Edoardo in a secret lockdown wedding in 2020 attended by her grandparents the Queen and Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, after her planned ceremony was postponed because of the pandemic.
At the time of baby Athena’s birth, Beatrice and Edoardo released a photograph of the newborn, showing her with dark hair, wearing a white long-sleeved garment, and wrapped in a pink blanket with her face hidden by her arm.
Edoardo wrote: “We welcomed baby Athena into our lives last week. She is tiny and absolutely perfect.
“We are all (including Wolfie and Sienna) already completely besotted with her.
“Our hearts are overflowing with love for you, baby Athena.”
He added: “A massive thank you from my wife and I goes out to all the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their exceptional care and support during this incredibly special time.”