PRINCESS Beatrice has given birth to her second child with husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
Their baby daughter Athena was born several weeks prematurely and is said to be health and doing well – weighing 4lb 5oz.
The Royal Family released this image of Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi after they announced the pregnancy[/caption]
Princess Beatrice with husband Edoardo at Kate’s carol concert earlier in December[/caption]
Beatrice and Edoardo with Christopher Woolf on Christmas Day at Sandringham[/caption]
The princess, 36, and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi already share daughter Sienna, three.
Edoardo also has son Christopher Woolf, known as Wolfie, eight, from a previous relationship.
Announcing the birth, a post on the Royal Family’s social media 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, January 22, at 12:57pm.
“The baby was born weighing 4 pounds and 5 ounces.
“The King and Queen, and other members of The Royal Family have all been informed and are delighted with the news.
“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.”
It comes after the couple announced they were expecting in October last year.
At the time, Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice and Mr Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are very pleased to announce that they are expecting their second child together in early spring; a sibling for Wolfie, aged eight, and Sienna, aged three.”
They also shared a snap of Edoardo with his two kids walking through a woodland.
The happy news comes after one of the Royal Family’s most personally challenging years, with the King, the Princess of Wales and Beatrice’s mother Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, all being diagnosed with cancer.
The duchess 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”.
Beatrice wed multi-millionaire property developer Edoardo in July 2020.
The couple met in September 2018 about a month before Princess Eugenie got married on October 12 to Jack Brooksbank.
And they announced their engagement on September 26, 2019 – a year after meeting.
It comes after Beatrice joined the royals for the annual Christmas Day lunch at Sandringham in a “change of plans”.
She and Edoardo were planning on spending the holiday season overseas with his family.
But it is understood she received medical advice which suggested she was not to travel long distances.
Earlier in December, pregnant Beatrice was seen beaming as she arrived with her husband at Princess Kate’s Christmas carol concert.
The couple stepped out at at the star-studded Christmas celebrations at Westminster Abbey on December 6.
‘DELIGHTED’
The palace said King Charles, Beatrice’s uncle, was “delighted” on hearing she was pregnant.
It added: “His Majesty The King has been informed and both families are delighted with the news.”
The new edition would have been the late Queen’s 13th great-grandchild – but will not be an HRH.
The baby will be born 11th in line to the throne, with Beatrice’s younger sister Princess Eugenie moving down to 12th place.
Fergie took to her Instagram account to celebrate the announcement in October.
A sweet image of Edoardo, Wolfie and Sienna[/caption]
The royal gave birth to daughter Sienna in 2021[/caption]
Beatrice and Edoardo met in 2018 before getting engaged a year later[/caption]
Alongside a slew of cute snaps, Fergie penned: “A very proud GiGi/Mum today. Such an incredible blessing and an embrace to my heart.
“Wolfie, August, Ernie and Sienna will be over the moon to have the fifth member of the five aside!”
A longer statement read: “Darling Beatrice. Words can’t quite express the joy and excitement I feel as you and Edo prepare to welcome another precious addition to your beautiful family.
“Becoming a granny again fills my heart with so much happiness and gratitude.
“Watching you grow as a mother has been one of the greatest privileges of my life, and now to see your family blossom further is an absolute blessing.
“Our family is growing, and so too is the love that surrounds us.
“I cannot wait to meet this little one and to share in all the wonderful memories we will make together. All my love.”
Beatrice’s younger sister Princess Eugenie also congratulated “Beabea”.
She shared a group photo from Christmas 2022 on social media and wrote: “Congratulations Beabea.. So looking forward to more on this journey of motherhood together.
“And adding another little one to the gang. I couldn’t find a single group shot of us, so this one from Christmas 2022 will have to do.”
Prince Harry will have reached out privately, royal expert claims
By Ryan Merrifield
IN light of Beatrice’s pregnancy news, royal expert Phil Dampier told the Sun: “Well, at last there’s some good news for the Royal Family.
“It’s been a very rocky few months, what with the King and the Princess of Wales being treated for cancer.
“And of course, all the ongoing problems with the relationship with Prince Harry.
“So this is some great news and some good news for the royal family. It would give everyone a boost.”
Beatrice’s mum Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of Sussex, has also been recovering from a cancer scare, which struck last year.
Mr Dampier said: “She seems to be okay now, which is great news for the family, and I’m sure she’ll be absolutely delighted.
“The Queen, the late Queen Elizabeth, always used to say that, despite some of her faults, and she did have some faults, or does have some faults, Sarah, Duchess of York, that she was always a great mother, and she admired her as a mother, and I think she’s probably passed that on to both of her daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie.”
He believes Harry will have reached out privately to wish his congratulations.
Despite his frayed relationship with his family, he has always remained close with the York sisters.
“I’m sure that privately, and possibly the public sphere, Harry will be sending his love and congratulations to Beatrice and her husband,” Mr Dampier said.
“They do get on very well. They’ve managed to stay on good terms with each other, despite the problems between William and Harry and the King and Harry.”
He said Beatrice and Eugenie probably feel “a little bit stuck in the middle of it”.
He also believes a new grandchild on the horizon will remind the King that he does not have a relationship with Harry and Meghan’s children Archie and Lilibet.
“I’m sure the King does wish he had a relationship with Archie and Lily… that goes without saying he’d love to see them more often, and he’d love to have a better relationship with Harry.
“But I think that’s going to take time. And in the meantime, obviously, he’s going to be happy about the new addition to the family.”
Sarah Ferguson took to her Instagram account to celebrate her daughter’s news in October[/caption]
The Duchess of York posted a slew of cute snaps[/caption]
Fergie also penned: ‘A very proud GiGi/Mum today’[/caption]
Beatrice’s younger sister Princess Eugenie also congratulated ‘Beabea’[/caption]
She shared a group photo from Christmas 2022 on social media[/caption]
