Princess Beatrice baby Athena's new photo delights fans

Princess Beatrice's daughter Athena, born in January, featured in a new photo which appears to have been taken at the same time Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi announced her birth.

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's eldest daughter Beatrice, 36, gave birth to her second child several weeks premature at London's Chelsea and Westminster Hospital on January 22.

Athena stole hearts as the sweet image shows the newborn swaddled in a pink blanket, cuddling with a toy bunny.

The heart-melting picture was taken as part of a special baby shower collection the Princess of York created with her close friend Alice Naylor-Leyland as they celebrated both motherhood and friendship while raising awareness for an issue close to the royal's heart.

Alice Naylor-Leyland uploaded the images on social media, writing: "It has been both a pleasure & a great honour working with my dear friend Princess Beatrice on our new Baby Shower Collection in aid of @bornecharity."

She added: "I'm so proud of the awareness @beayork has brought to Premature Birth & I'm delighted we were able to create this together celebrating both Motherhood & Friendship."

The new photo of baby Athena comes just hours after Beatrice's broke silence on the preterm birth in a new personal essay, explaining how baby Athena was welcomed by the family a few weeks before her due date, saying: "Nothing quite prepares you for the moment when you realise your baby is going to arrive early."

The couple also share a daughter called Sienna, while Edoardo also has a son, Christopher Woolf, from his previous relationship with American architect, Dara Huang.