It has been announced that Princess Beatrice has given birth to her second child, with the new baby a third child for husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and a younger sibling for their daughter Sienna and Edo’s son Wolfie
Princess Beatrice has given birth to her second child with husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, it has been announced.
The late Queen’s granddaughter, 36, and her husband, 40, welcomed a baby girl called Athena several weeks prematurely. The newborn is a little sister for the couple’s three-year-old daughter Sienna, and Mr Mapelli Mozzi’s son and Beatrice’s stepson, eight-year-old Wolfie. The baby, who will not be an HRH, is born 11th in line to the throne, with Beatrice’s younger sister Princess Eugenie moving down to 12th place.
It is understood Beatrice and her week-old daughter – her second child – are healthy and doing well despite the baby’s early arrival, and both have left hospital and are at home. She was due to give birth in early spring and in December received medical advice and was told by doctors not to travel long distances.
A statement from Buckingham Palace said: “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.
“The baby was born weighing four pounds and five ounces. Their Majesties The King and Queen and other members of the royal family have all been informed and are delighted with the news.”
Beatrice’s husband Edoardo posted a tribute to his new daughter, calling her “tiny and absolutely perfect”. He wrote on Instagram sharing a photograph of Athena wrapped in a blanket: “Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi. 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.
“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.” Beatrice’s sister Eugenie also celebrated the new arrival by posting “Welcome Baby Girl” and sharing Mr Mapelli Mozzi’s photograph of baby Athena wrapped in a pink blanket on her Instagram Stories.
The child is also the 14th great-grandchild of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and the second to be born since her death in 2022, following the arrival of Eugenie’s second child Ernest in 2023. Eugenie also has an older son called August. It’s not expected that the King will hand out a title to the newborn.
Beatrice announced her pregnancy back in October with two adorable family snaps. The first showed a blonde-haired Sienna from behind as she walks along a country lane, holding hands in the middle of her father and big brother Wolfie. The youngster, with a red bow in her hair, is kitted out in bright yellow wellies and an all-in-one blue waterproof puddlesuit decorated with cloud and bird motifs.
In another picture, an overjoyed Beatrice – wearing a black puffer jacket – smiles at the camera, while being embraced by Mr Mapelli Mozzi, who is gazing at his wife. The happy news of her pregnancy came during one of the Royal Family’s most personally challenging years, with the King, the Princess of Wales and Beatrice’s mother Sarah, Duchess of York all being diagnosed with cancer.
Beatrice is the eldest daughter of the Duke of York and his ex-wife Sarah, and the new baby will be the Yorks’ fourth grandchild.
Sarah was treated for malignant melanoma skin cancer in January, just months after undergoing a mastectomy for breast cancer, but Beatrice said in May the duchess had been given the “all clear”. Meanwhile, Beatrice’s dad Prince Andrew has been embroiled in controversy and is facing scrutiny over his business affairs in the wake of the scandal surrounding his links to an alleged Chinese spy.
Beatrice married millionaire property tycoon Mr Mapelli Mozzi in a secret lockdown wedding in 2020 attended by her grandparents the Queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, after her planned ceremony was postponed because of the pandemic. Known as Edo, Mr Mapelli Mozzi is the son of former Olympic skier Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi and Nikki Williams-Ellis. His son Christopher Woolf, nicknamed Wolfie, was born in 2016 to his then-girlfriend, American architect and designer Dara Huang.
And although the new baby will not get a title from the King, the baby will get a unique title thanks to Edo, who is actually an Italian count. Speaking to the Daily Mail previously Edoardo’s dad, Count Allessandro Mapelli Mozzi, explained: “Edoardo is the only male descendent taking the family into the next generation. He is a count, his wife will be a countess automatically and any of their children will be counts or nobile donna.”