Princess Beatrice has previously spoken with striking honesty about the emotional rollercoaster she experienced after the premature arrival of her second daughter, baby Athena Elizabeth Rose.
In a deeply personal essay, the royal reflected on the fear and uncertainty that followed Athena’s early birth in January 2025, admitting the weeks surrounding her arrival were some of the most overwhelming of her life.
Now, as little Athena marked her first birthday on January 22, 2026, Beatrice’s words continue to resonate with parents who know just how frightening those early moments can be.
Princess Beatrice opens up about baby Athena’s premature birth
“Nothing quite prepares you for the moment when you realise your baby is going to arrive early,” Princess Beatrice wrote candidly in March 2025. She described the loss of control that came with those moments, questioning whether her baby would be healthy, if complications would arise, and how she would keep family life steady while protecting a tiny newborn.
Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, who are already parents to four-year-old Sienna, welcomed Athena on January 22, 2025, several weeks ahead of her due date.
Athena weighed just 4 pounds and 5 ounces at birth. Beatrice recalled how small her daughter was, saying “her feet were almost the same size as the paws on one of my older daughter’s soft bunnies”.
Reflecting further in her Vogue essay, she admitted: “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.”
While Athena is now doing well, Beatrice acknowledged that some questions remain unanswered.
“I have a few more answers as to what happened, but still no precise explanation,” she wrote. Looking back on those months of anxiety, she said the experience left her determined to see better support and understanding around the complications that can lead to preterm birth.
Beatrice praised the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and Professor Mark Johnson for their care, explaining she learned about their work through friends connected to Borne, a charity dedicated to ending premature birth. She has since become a patron of the organisation.
Princess Beatrice supporting Borne
Beatrice has said her own experience, alongside her mother Sarah Ferguson’s breast and skin cancer diagnoses in 2024, has strengthened her resolve to champion women’s health research.
She wrote that “nothing feels more vital than facilitating the necessary research into the health challenges” women face daily, adding that she hopes continued medical advances will mean her daughters do not have to “face these challenges when they grow up”.
The princess also revealed a collaboration with her longtime friend Alice Naylor-Leyland, founder of lifestyle brand Mrs. Alice. Together, they launched a baby shower collection in support of Borne, with proceeds going towards vital research.
Edoardo’s emotional tribute
After the essay was published, Edoardo shared a heartfelt message on Instagram praising his wife’s bravery.
“So much pride for my beautiful wife, who has bravely shared our story of Athena’s early arrival,” he wrote alongside a photo of Beatrice and their daughter. He also thanked @bornecharity for providing the family with invaluable support during an incredibly challenging time.
Beatrice has said she hopes speaking openly will encourage more people to talk about pregnancy complications without fear or shame.
“So often we don’t take the time to share, especially when it comes to our pregnancy or our health in general,” she explained. “Once you start, you quickly come to realise that everyone has a story, and often, on some level, a shared experience of birth. It brings people together.”
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