Princess Beatrice made her first official public appearance in the wake of her father, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, being officially stripped of his royal titles. The former Prince's eldest daughter, 37, toured the Borne research laboratories on Monday afternoon at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, where she gave birth to her youngest child Athena several weeks prematurely in January.
Beatrice described the work of Borne, which funds research into how to prevent premature births and why babies are born too soon, as "incredibly close and personal to me following the early arrival of my second daughter". Athena was born on 22 January, weighing 4lb 5oz, with Beatrice later writing in a piece for British Vogue that she was "so tiny it took more than a few weeks for the tears of relief to dry".
The Princess was joined at the event by Good Morning Britain's weather presenter Laura Tobin, whose own daughter Charlotte arrived three months early in 2017, weighing just 2lb 8oz.
The pair met scientists and clinicians leading Borne's research, including projects investigating the causes of preterm labour, the role of inflammation in pregnancy, and the development of new treatments to help prevent babies from being born too early.
Beatrice, who was announced as patron of Borne in March, said in a statement: "The work that Borne is undertaking is something that is incredibly close and personal to me following the early arrival of my second daughter. Today's visit was not only insightful but has given me so much hope for pregnant mothers in the UK that this topic is being taken incredibly seriously.
"As a patron of Borne, I am so grateful for the scientists and clinicians who took the time today to show me the advances they are making to reduce the risks to expectant mums and babies."
Meanwhile, Laura, a Borne ambassador, said: "As a parent who's experienced the uncertainty of premature birth and how worrying it can be, today’s visit was deeply personal. The research happening here gives me real hope for the future, that one day fewer families will have to face what ours did. The dedication of everyone at Borne to finding answers and preventing prematurity is truly inspiring."
Beatrice's outing forms part of Borne's "every week counts" campaign to mark World Prematurity Day next Monday. The Princess and Borne founder Professor Mark Johnson are set to host an event at Battersea Power Station in London to mark the occasion, bringing together supporters, researchers, and families involved with the charity.
Some 60,000 babies are born prematurely in the UK every year – one in every 13 births – with 15 million babies arriving early around the world, the charity said. Complications from prematurity remain the leading cause of neonatal death and lifelong disability, but less than 2 per cent of medical research funding is dedicated to pregnancy and childbirth, it added.
Why have Andrew's titles been removed?
The King took action by stripping his younger brother of his birthright to be a prince and his dukedom over his "serious lapses of judgment". Andrew's connections to paedophile financier, Jeffrey Epstein, and allegations he sexually abused Virginia Giuffre signalled his downfall. Andrew strenuously denies the accusations.
It also emerged in recent weeks that he had emailed Epstein in 2011 saying "we're in this together", three months after he claimed he had broken all contact with him. Members of the US Congress have also written to him requesting he sit for a "transcribed interview" in connection with his friendship with Epstein, and asking him to respond by 20 November.
Andrew is set to move from Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park sometime in the new year to the King's private Sandringham estate, after it recently emerged he had only paid "peppercorn" rent for more than 20 years on the 30-room mansion. Beatrice and her sister Princess Eugenie remain princesses despite their father's banishment from the royal family and his new status as a commoner.