Princess Beatrice welcomes her second baby and shares very regal name

Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi have welcomed their second baby together and the proud parents have shared the first picture and the very regal name.

The start of the new year has been made that bit brighter for Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi as they have announced the birth of their second child together. The Royal Family Instagram account and Edo’s personal account have both now shared the sweet first snap of their daughter who was born 22nd January and has been given a particularly regal name.

"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," the royal caption declared. "The baby was born weighing 4 pounds and 5 ounces."

They went on to reveal that Princess Beatrice’s uncle King Charles, Queen Camilla and other members of the Royal Family have "all been informed" and are "delighted" with the news of baby Athena’s arrival. Princess Beatrice and Edoardo also expressed gratitude to the staff at the hospital for their "wonderful care" and said that mum and baby are "healthy and doing well".

The picture of Athena, who is 11th in the royal line of succession, was taken by none other than her doting dad Edoardo and shows her curled up in a pastel pink blanket. Although Princess Beatrice and her sister Princess Eugenie have always preferred keeping their children’s faces turned away from the camera in photos shared publicly, on this occasion it wasn’t necessary as the little one had her own arm stretched adorably over her face.

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo’s choice of name for their daughter is particularly meaningful - and regal - too. Athena was the daughter of Zeus, the King of the Gods in Greek Mythology, which couldn’t be more fitting for the daughter of a Princess and the great-granddaughter of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, the late Queen Elizabeth. Meanwhile her first middle name ‘Elizabeth’ is a direct tribute to Princess Beatrice’s "Granny" herself.

Each of Queen Elizabeth’s grandchildren have used Elizabeth as a middle name or a variation on a name for at least one of their daughters and Princess Beatrice has done it twice over, as her eldest daughter Sienna also has this middle name. In the Royal Family’s caption they shared that the family are "enjoying spending time together with Athena’s older siblings" and Edoardo described how much Wolfie and Sienna love her his own announcement.

"We welcomed Baby Athena into our lives last week. She is tiny and absolutely perfect," he wrote. "We are all (including Wolfie and Sienna) already completely besotted with her. Our hearts are overflowing with love for you, baby Athena."

Princess Beatrice’s children aren’t often seen in public but she has often shared sweet anecdotes about daughter Sienna and her stepson Wolfie. Princess Beatrice announced she was pregnant with her second child back in October and stated that the baby was due in "early spring". It’s lovely to hear that Athena and Princess Beatrice are both "doing well" and enjoying family time.