Beatrice had been due to give birth in early Spring, but in December had received medical advice not to travel long distances.

So instead of spending Christmas overseas with her husband’s family as planned, Beatrice and her husband and children had spent Christmas with the Royal Family at Sandringham.

The official photo issued of the new baby Athena shows her wrapped in a blanket, with her hand covering her face, presumably because of concerns about privacy.

In a social media post, her father Edoardo said: “She is tiny and absolutely perfect” and the family was “completely besotted with her”.

Athena, is the grandchild of Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, and Sarah, the Duchess of York. She becomes 11th in line to the throne.

“She is already so adored and I’m incredibly blessed to be a granny once again. So proud of Edo, Beatrice and the rest of my little 5-a-side team,” posted the duchess on social media.

The statement from Buckingham Palace gave the baby’s full name as Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi, born last Wednesday at 12.57pm.

Beatrice, aged 36, and her daughter are both doing well, said the Palace, and the family are spending time with Athena’s older siblings Wolfie – Mr Mapelli Mozzi’s son from a previous relationship – and Sienna.

The parents thanked staff at the London hospital for their “wonderful care”, the same hospital where their older daughter Sienna had been born in 2021.

In ancient Greece, Athena was the goddess of war, handicraft and wisdom.

Princess Beatrice has worked for a number of charities, including the Teenage Cancer Trust and co-founding the Big Change, which helps young people to develop life skills, beyond academic subjects.

She has highlighted the challenges of dyslexia and spoke in 2016 to the BBC about her own struggles – saying dyslexia made exams “terrifying” for her.