Beatrice shared that she “learnt so much” from her pregnancy with Athena, who was born on January 22, mentioning that these thoughts were constantly on her mind during the later stages of her pregnancy.

“After routine scans, we realized that our precious baby needed extra attention, and we understood that we had to prepare for an early arrival,” she said, reflecting on how humbling the entire experience was.

She went on to say, “It gave me a deeper understanding of our incredible human bodies, but also, more than anything, it showed me how much we still don’t know.”

“In many ways, women’s health has been overlooked for a long time,” she added.

“You can plan as much as you want during pregnancy, but sometimes your body – or your baby – has its own plans, which can sometimes result in a preterm birth.”

“Thankfully, thanks to the constantly improving technology and the expertise of doctors, midwives, and nurses, progress is being made every day in understanding the unique challenges that come with preterm pregnancies.”

Reflecting on her first moments with her “tiny” newborn, the royal shared: “Athena arrived healthy, a few weeks before her due date. She was so tiny that it took a while for the tears of relief to dry and for life with our healthy baby to feel real.

Her feet were so small – almost the same size as the paws on one of my older daughter’s soft bunnies.”

She also mentioned how preterm birth “affects so many families,” adding: “Leaving them to face the very same challenges I found myself confronting.”

During that period, she found comfort in opening up to family, friends, and even other mums at the school gates, saying: “I tried to learn as much as I could.”

She concluded, “So often we don’t take the time to share – especially when it comes to our pregnancy or our health in general. Once you start, you quickly come to realise that everyone has a story, and often, on some level, a shared experience of birth. It brings people together.”