Princess Beatrice, the eldest daughter of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and a member of the British royal family, has stepped into the spotlight for a deeply personal reason: to shed light on the isolating experience of premature birth and to champion research and support for affected families. As World Prematurity Day arrives on November 17, 2025, Beatrice’s story is resonating with parents across the UK and beyond, offering both empathy and a call to action.
Beatrice, aged 37, knows firsthand the anxiety and uncertainty that come with a premature birth. Her second daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose, arrived several weeks early on January 22, 2025—a date that, as she’s shared, was etched with both fear and relief. According to BBC News, Beatrice described the experience as “incredibly lonely,” a sentiment echoed by many parents who find themselves suddenly thrust into the world of neonatal care and medical jargon.
"I think so often, especially as mums, we spend our lives, you know, feeling we have to be perfect to do this," Beatrice said on the Borne podcast, a platform run by the premature birth research charity Borne. "And sometimes, when you are faced with that moment of learning that your baby's going to come a bit early, it can be incredibly lonely." Her candidness is striking, especially from a royal, and it’s clear she hopes to break the silence surrounding prematurity.
Beatrice’s involvement with Borne is more than just ceremonial. Months after Athena’s early arrival, she became a patron of the charity, lending her voice and experience to its cause. Last week, she visited Borne’s research laboratories at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London as part of the “Every Week Counts” campaign. The charity, as reported by BBC News, estimates that 15 million babies are born too soon every year worldwide, with 60,000—about one in every 13—born prematurely in the UK alone. Prematurity remains the leading cause of neonatal death and lifelong disability, a sobering statistic that underscores the urgency of Borne’s mission.
In December 2024, just weeks before Athena’s birth, Beatrice was advised by her doctors to avoid long-distance travel due to the risk of a premature delivery. She altered her plans, joining the royal family at Sandringham for Christmas rather than traveling abroad. "Nothing quite prepares you for the moment when you realise your baby is going to arrive early," she later wrote in British Vogue in March 2025. "There's so little control." The essay, which detailed her emotional journey, also revealed the physical realities of premature birth: Athena was so tiny at birth that "her feet were almost the same size as the paws on one of my older daughter’s soft bunnies." It took weeks, she confessed, for the “tears of relief” to dry and for life to settle into a new normal.
Beatrice’s openness about her vulnerability is a marked departure from the traditional royal reserve. She’s talked about the “life-changing relief” she felt upon learning about Borne’s work and meeting other mothers who understood her experience. "Even now, talking to some of the mums who know about my work with Borne, they feel this sense of life-changing relief that can come with knowing that there is an organisation that is supporting the research... and asking some of these important questions," she said on the Borne podcast, as quoted by Bang Showbiz.
Her advocacy centers on the idea that no mother should feel alone during what can be a traumatic and bewildering time. "My favourite thing about being a mum is the fact that it's like a secret, you know, it almost feels like a secret club of sharing stories," she reflected. "And I love the fact that Borne is there to support them [mothers] when they're going through something incredibly traumatic, and how can we make sure that phenomenal data, great tools, great doctors, have everything at their disposal so that no Mum can feel alone."
For Beatrice, motherhood has always been a central part of her identity. She and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, also have a four-year-old daughter, Sienna. But Athena’s early arrival brought new challenges and, in her words, a “driving force” to help others. "I was very fortunate to be monitored closely by a medical team and I’m extremely aware of how lucky I am. This is a driving force in me to do as much as possible to help where I can," she wrote in her Vogue essay.
Her commitment extends beyond sharing her story. As a patron of Borne, Beatrice has pledged to support the charity’s groundbreaking research and to encourage others to share their experiences. "I am looking forward to supporting Borne and its programme of ground-breaking research," she stated at the time of her patronage. She hopes her involvement will "bring as many people that have had their own stories, to come and share them. Then maybe we can learn from each other."
The significance of World Prematurity Day, organized annually by the World Health Organization, is not lost on Beatrice or the families who mark it. It’s a day to remember the millions of babies born too soon, to honor those lost to complications, and to advocate for improved care and research. The statistics are daunting: according to Borne, complications from prematurity are the leading cause of neonatal death and lifelong disability worldwide. Yet, as Beatrice’s story illustrates, there is hope—and a growing community—thanks to research, awareness, and the willingness of parents to speak out.
Beatrice’s willingness to reveal her own struggles and triumphs has helped foster a sense of solidarity among parents. Her message is clear: while the journey through premature birth is often lonely, it doesn’t have to be endured in silence. With organizations like Borne leading the way and advocates like Princess Beatrice lending their voices, there’s a growing movement to ensure that no family faces prematurity alone. For many, that’s the kind of relief—and hope—they need most.
