It’s time to celebrate! Hot on the heels of news that the British royals might soon welcome another pet to the palace comes an announcement of a new family member. That’s right—there’s a new royal baby, and fans around the world are eagerly toasting the lucky parents.

But who is this littlest royal, and what will their future in Britain’s most famous family hold? Read on to find out everything you need to know about the royal newborn, from their birthday and title to the sweet nod to great-grandma Queen Elizabeth II.

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Who is the new royal addition?

The latest addition to the royal family is Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, second daughter of Princess Beatrice and Edoardo “Edo” Mapelli Mozzi. She was born on Jan. 22, 2025, at 12:57 p.m. at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London. The royal family announced her arrival in a cute Instagram post and—in a slightly more formal way—on its official website.

Athena’s proud dad, who took her very first official picture, also honored his newborn on his personal Instagram, saying the baby girl was “absolutely perfect” and the whole family, including sister Sienna (3) and stepbrother Wolfie (8), Edo’s son from a previous relationship, were besotted with her. “Our hearts are overflowing with love for you, baby Athena,” he added, before thanking the staff at the hospital.

The baby’s arrival came as a bit of a surprise to everyone. Beatrice (the oldest daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York) had been due in early spring but was advised in December that her baby might come early and that she should avoid long-distance travel just in case. That’s the main reason she joined the royal family for Christmas dinner in Sandringham instead of spending the holidays overseas with Edoardo’s family as the couple had originally planned.

What is the meaning behind her name?

Athena refers to the ancient Greek goddess of war and wisdom, while the baby’s second name, Elizabeth, is an obvious tribute to Beatrice’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September 2022.

Given that the royal family tends to stick to traditional British names for new members, Athena is an unusual choice. But we certainly like the meaning behind it: Athena stands for being courageous and wise—two qualities that can never hurt, especially if you’re born into the spotlight!

The family hasn’t revealed any details (yet) about the inspiration behind Athena’s third name, Rose, but the flower is generally associated with beauty, passion and love.

Is this the couple’s first tribute to Queen Elizabeth II?

Princess Beatrice, Counsellor of State and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi attend the Christmas Morning Service at St Mary Magdalene ChurchMark Cuthbert/Getty Images

No, it’s not! Beatrice and Edoardo’s first daughter, Sienna, who was born in September 2021, shares Athena’s middle name. These two little ones aren’t the only royals whose names pay tribute to Elizabeth. Beatrice herself is officially Beatrice Elizabeth Mary. The mother of two and the late monarch were exceptionally close, and it seems the bond was destined from the very day Beatrice was born.

Apart from the names for her girls, the princess also included a sweet tribute to Elizabeth on her wedding day: When she tied the knot with Edoardo in a small ceremony in Windsor in 2020, she wore the same tiara the queen had used when she said “I do” to Prince Philip in 1947.

Is Athena considered a princess?

Athena is not officially a princess, as she’s too distantly related to King Charles—after all, she’s only the monarch’s great-niece and not his grandchild or great-grandchild. And while she’s still a member of the royal household, her life will most likely look very different than the lives of other royal kids, namely those of Prince William and Princess Kate.

Athena’s parents, who reportedly met at the wedding of Beatrice’s sister, Princess Eugenie, in 2018, both have regular full-time jobs. Beatrice works as vice president of partnerships and strategy at British software company Afiniti (where, according to her LinkedIn profile, she simply goes by Beatrice York). Her husband is the CEO and creative director of the design company Banda. It’s likely Athena will follow their path and eventually opt for a conventional career.

That said, the number of working royals keeps shrinking, both due to the age of the senior members of the family (most of them are well into their 70s) and the fact that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the Firm, so Athena might jump in to help at some point. Beatrice, while not officially a working royal, currently uses her title to support charities close to her heart, including the Teenager Cancer Trust in the U.K.

While Athena wasn’t born a princess, British tabloids speculate she might still get a fancy title of her own: Edoardo’s father, Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi, a British-Italian member of an old Italian noble family, reportedly confirmed that his son, also a count, would pass on the titles count (for men) and nobile donna (for women) to his children.

Where does she fall in the royal line of succession?

Little Athena is currently 11th in line to the throne, so it’s very unlikely that she will ever become queen. Her mother, Beatrice, is No. 9 in line, and her older sister, Sienna, is 10th.

Athena is behind William (Charles’s immediate successor) and his kids, Prince George (No. 2), Princess Charlotte (No. 3) and Prince Louis (No. 4), as well as Harry (No. 5) and his son, Archie (No. 6), and daughter, Lilibet (No. 7). The queen’s third child, Andrew, comes in at No. 8. Athena did, however, push Eugenie one rank down to No. 12.

Are any other royal babies on the horizon?

Not at the moment, unfortunately. Kate and William already have three kids of their own, and Harry and Meghan have two. Beatrice and her husband now have three kids, and Beatrice’s younger sister, Eugenie, is also a mother of two.

Of course, never say never! We’ll certainly keep our eyes peeled for updates just in case—and we bet you will too.

Why trust us

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. For this piece, Astrid Hofer tapped her experience as a London-based journalist with more than 20 years of experience covering topics including the British royal family. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

Queen Elizabeth II and members of the British Royal family stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Trooping the Colour parade on June 9, 2018 in London, England.James Devaney/Getty Images

The Royal Family Line of Succession

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British Royal Family Code Names

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Astrid Hofer
Astrid is a London-based journalist covering entertainment, the British royal family, lifestyle, travel and current events. In addition to Reader's Digest, her work has appeared in National Geographic, Culture Trip, British Travela and TripSavvy. Originally from Austria, she lived in Canada and the Netherlands before settling in the U.K., and she s...
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Astrid Hofer