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Fresh off the arrival of the royal family’s newest (and arguably cutest) member, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York has reacted to becoming a grandmother once again.
The Duchess, who was formerly married to King Charles’ brother, Prince Andrew, took to social media this week to welcome the newborn child of her daughter, Princess Beatrice. Buckingham Palace announced that Beatrice had given birth to Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi on Jan. 22, adding to the brood she shares with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Reveling in her renewed grandmother status, Ferguson — who is often nicknamed Fergie — wrote that she was “overflowing with love and joy.”
“[Athena] is already so adored and I’m incredibly blessed to be a Granny once again,” she added, alongside a reposted image of the baby that was first shared by the palace. After congratulating her daughter’s family, which she adorably called her “little 5-a-side” team, Edoardo shared a comment that reveals what Ferguson is nicknamed by her grandchildren. While “Nan” might seem fitting and proper for a family of their status, Edoardo wrote that Ferguson was “the best Gigi” to his children.
Ferguson wasn’t the only royal family member to respond to the arrival of Athena, who was born prematurely and weighed in at 4 pounds and 5 ounces. For their part, King Charles and Queen Camilla wrote that they were “delighted by the news” of Athena’s arrival, and thanked the staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital where she was delivered. Edoardo, meanwhile, shared the most touching tribute, saying his newborn is “tiny and absolutely perfect” and that he and the whole clan are “already completely besotted with her.”
Beyond the royal family, onlookers’ reaction to the birth has included a reassessment of how it affects the line of succession to the throne. As it stands, Athena is now eleventh in line to the throne while her mother Beatrice and older sister Sienna are in ninth and tenth place, respectively. While it’s the most recent (and perhaps the cutest) example, this is not the first time Ferguson has gushed over her growing family. Last October, upon the announcement of Beatrice’s pregnancy, Fergie again posted to social media to celebrate the news, wearing the Gigi nickname with pride and anticipating the 5-a-side team she’d hoped for.
“A very proud GiGi/Mum today,” she wrote alongside an image of her grandchildren. “Such an incredible blessing and an embrace to my heart.” Athena joins the list of Fergie’s grandchildren alongside Beatrice and Edoardo’s first child, three-year-old Sienna and eight-year-old Wolfie, whom Edo shares with his first wife. Three-year-old August and one-year-old Ernest — the children of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank — round out the five-a-side.
Prince Andrew, who has drawn controversy over the years, has yet to react publicly to news of his new grandchild, but Athena’s arrival comes amid a flurry of headlines around Beatrice’s relationship with her father. In November, it was speculated that Beatrice was eyeing a place closer to the Royal Family inner-circle as a way to distance herself from Andrew, and after that, rumors swirled that the Prince was becoming an “increasingly clingy” burden for Beatrice.