After a tough year full of health issues for the British royal family, they finally have some good news to celebrate – Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi have welcomed a daughter.
The niece of King Charles III and her husband announced the news via a statement that was shared on Buckingham Palace’s official Instagram account.
“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 12:57 pm, at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London,” the official statement read.
“The baby was born weighing 4 pounds and 5 ounces,”
Accompanying the news was a snap of the sweet little newborn wrapped in a pink blanket.
“Their Majesties The King and Queen and other members of The Royal Family have all been informed and are delighted with the news,” the statement added.
The moniker includes a sweet nod to Bea’s grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.
After the joyful news, WHO looks at the private life of the princess and her growing family.
How premature was Princess Beatrice’s baby?
Princess Beatrice’s second daughter is believed to have arrived several weeks early.
It was previously reported she was due to arrive around March/April 2025.
Despite being premature, the palace has confirmed that Athena Elizabeth Rose is healthy and well.
Her very proud father Edo took to social media to confirm that she was “tiny and absolutely perfect”.
“Our hearts are overflowing with love for you, baby Athena,” he posted.
Her maternal grandmother, Sarah, the Duchess of York, also took to social media to share her happiness at the safe arrival.
“Overflowing with love and joy to be able to welcome Athena Elizabeth Rose into the world,” Fergie, as she’s affectionately known, wrote.
“She is already so adored and I’m incredibly blessed to be a Granny once again.”
Will Princess Beatrice’s daughter change the British line of succession?
Princess Beatrice’s daughter Athena is 11th in the line of succession to the British throne.
She sits behind her mother in the 9th spot, and big sister Sienna who holds the 10th place.
Athena’s arrival pushes her aunt, Princess Eugenie, down a spot to 12th place with her two sons following behind her.
Despite their proximity to the crown, neither Athena nor Sienna will hold an official British royal title as they aren’t grandchildren of King Charles’.
However, their dad descends from Italian aristocracy and Edo is the eldest son of Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi.
“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,” the Count told the Daily Mail in 2020.
Who is Princess Beatrice’s husband?
Beatrice tied the knot with Edo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020.
The property developer was born in London but descends from a noble Italian family.
Edo is the CEO and founder of a London-based property development and interior design company named Banda.
The couple started dating in late 2018, having known each other for years beforehand as Edo’s step-father, Christopher Shale, was a close friend of Beatrice’s parents, Prince Andrew and Sarah.
After their nuptials were delayed thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, Bea finally made it down the aisle in Windsor on July 17, 2020.
The small socially distanced ceremony was attended by just 20 guests including her grandparents, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.
Sentimental Beatrice looked stunning in a Norman Hartnell gown that had belonged to the then Queen on her big day.
Despite four years having passed since they wed, Bea and Edo still seem to be enjoying the newly wedded bliss phase of their romance.
“Happy 4th wedding anniversary my love. Every day is so special with you. I love you so much,” Edo said in a social media post in July 2024.
Gushing about his wife seems to have become a yearly habit.
“I am so grateful for every moment we have shared, every challenge we have overcome, and every dream we have pursued together. I love you more than words can say, and I can’t wait to celebrate many more anniversaries with you,” he posted in 2023 on their third anniversary.
How many children does Princess Beatrice have?
Princess Beatrice and Edo share two daughters- Sienna and Athena.
In May 2021, Bea and Edo shared that they were expecting their first baby.
On September 20 of that same year, Buckingham Palace and the proud dad announced that Beatrice gave birth to her daughter.
“Our life together has just begun, and I can’t wait to see all the amazing things that await us,” Edo posted.
“Feeling so much love and gratitude for my amazing wife, baby Sienna and Wolfie. These are the days I never want to forget. This week, a friend said to me the sweetest saying …. that with every child you grow a whole new heart.”
Edo also shares son Christopher Woolf, nicknamed Wolfie, whom he welcomed in April 2016 with his ex, Dara Huang.
Upon her wedding, Beatrice became the stepmother of Wolfie, who acted as his father’s best man.
After Beatrice gave birth to Sienna, she called Wolfie “the best big brother” in a tweet.
Wolfie and Beatrice have a close relationship, and he has been seen joining the royal family for important events such as when he attended the Together At Christmas carols service in 2023.
Dara has also spoken publicly about how well she co-parents with her ex and Beatrice.
“Wolfie has had two sets of parents trying to help him on both sides, and I just think, ‘The more, the merrier,’ ” Dara told Harper’s Bazaar UK .
“I feel lucky to have such positive people around him, who really embrace him — because it didn’t have to be so easy.”
Buckingham Palace announced Beatrice’s second pregnancy on October 1.
“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,” the statement read along with some new snaps of the princesses growing brood.
“His Majesty The King has been informed and both families are delighted with the news,” the statement added of the monarch, who is Beatrice’s uncle.
In the new images, Beatrice and Edoardo shared a warm embrace as they couldn’t wipe the smiles off their faces.
In the second, Edoardo and his son from an earlier relationship, Wolfie, hold hands with his half-sister Sienna as the family enjoys a stroll down a woodland path.
Why is Princess Beatrice not part of the royal family?
While Beatrice isn’t a working member of The Firm, meaning that she carries out official duties on behalf of the Crown and receives tax payer funds, she is still a beloved member of the royal family.
Beatrice remains in the line of succession to the British throne in the 9th spot.
Living off Edo’s millions means that Princess Beatrice’s luxe life is barely scrutinised, leaving her free to indulge in her love of fashion and overseas holidays.
However, she still gets to enjoy many of the perks of her aristocratic lineage, with the couple joining their extended family at King Charles’ coronation in May 2023.
Beatrice and Edo also regularly take part in the carriage procession at Royal Ascot and also supported Prince William along with many other cousins when he hosted a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace while the Princess of Wales was undergoing treatment for cancer.
