Princess Beatrice skips Davos summit due to surprise baby arrival

Princess Beatrice’s unexpected absence from the World Economic Forum in Davos last week has now been explained—she had already given birth to her second child.

The 36-year-old royal, who was set to join Chancellor Rachel Reeves at the prestigious event in Switzerland from January 20 to 24, was a no-show despite being a regular attendee in previous years.

At the time, reports suggested medical advice had prevented her from travelling. However, Buckingham Palace has now confirmed that Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, welcomed their daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose, on January 22 at 12:57 p.m.

Beatrice had initially been expected to speak on a panel discussing the role of private capital and sovereign wealth funds in combating climate change.

Speculation swirled around her absence, but no official explanation was provided—until today’s announcement of baby Athena’s arrival.

Born several weeks ahead of schedule, Athena is now 11th in line to the throne, pushing her aunt, Princess Eugenie, down to 12th place. 

The happy news comes during a challenging time for the Royal Family, with King Charles, the Princess of Wales, and Beatrice’s mother, Sarah Ferguson, all undergoing treatment for cancer.