by Mick the Ram

Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi was born at 12.57 pm on 22 January at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, arriving several weeks early and weighing just four pounds and five ounces.

The news was released a week after the birth, at the request of the parents, with the Buckingham Palace statement adding that “their Majesties The King and Queen and other members of The Royal Family have all been informed and are delighted”.

Princess Beatrice is the eldest daughter of Prince Andrew, the Duke of York – the brother of King Charles III – and Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, and she was due to give birth in early Spring.

In December the 36-year-old princess received medical advice not to travel long distances and spent the Christmas period at the Sandringham Estate.

Both mother and baby – who becomes 11th in line to the throne – are “healthy and doing well,” the palace statement was quick to make clear.

The official photo issued of the new baby Athena shows her wrapped in a blanket, with her hand covering her face, presumably because of concerns about privacy.

The new arrival’s first middle name is a tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II – Beatrice’s grandmother.

New sister

The new baby is the second child for Beatrice and her property-tycoon husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and is a sister for Sienna, who arrived in September 2021.

She is also another step-sister for Christopher Woolf – known as Wolfie – Eduardo’s son from a previous relationship with Dara Huang.

The couple married at The Royal Chapel of All Saints at Royal Lodge, Windsor, in July 2020, two months later than planned due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

Thanks given to hospital staff

On Instagram a photograph was shared of Athena wrapped in a blanket, with words accompanying it from Eduardo saying: “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.

“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.”

It is the same hospital where their first child, Sienna, was born.

Proud Granny

Grandmother, the Duchess of York posted on social media: “She is already so adored and I’m incredibly blessed to be a granny once again.

“I am so proud of Edo, Beatrice and the rest of my little 5-a-side team”.

11th in line

Athena slots into the royal lineage at number eleven, just behind her sister at ten, with her mother one place above her at position number nine.

Obviously Prince William, as the eldest son of King Charles III, is the first in line to the throne, followed by his three children – George, Charlotte and Louis. At number five is Prince Harry, then come his two children: Archie and Lilibet, at six and seven.

At number eight is Beatrice’s father, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York who has been forced to step away from his royal duties. This was after an interview he did with the BBC in 2019 about his relationship with US financier Jeffrey Epstein – who killed himself while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking and conspiracy charges – caused great embarrassment for the royal family.