Bea gives birth to daughter – but grandad Andrew’s yet to meet her
THe beleaguered Duke of York is yet to return from Balmoral to meet his new granddaughter.
It was announced yesterday that his eldest daughter Princess Beatrice has become a mother for the first time, giving birth to a 6lb 2oz baby girl on Saturday.
The news, which comes only seven months after younger daughter eugenie gave birth to her son August, has already been welcomed by Sarah, Duchess of York. She is said to have returned from Balmoral on Friday and met her new grandchild over the weekend.
A friend of the duchess told the Mail: ‘She’s perfect and Sarah is absolutely smitten. She’s always very proud of both girls but to have two grandchildren in a year is a total joy.’ The friend smilingly suggested that Beatrice’s daughter might even have inherited her mother and grandmother’s flamecoloured locks, saying: ‘She’s got a hint of red... and a hint of gold.’
But it seems that Sarah’s troubled former husband has not returned with her. Prince Andrew bolted back to the Queen’s Scottish estate just over a week ago – days before the first hearing into a US sex assault claim brought against him by longterm accuser virginia Roberts.
Andrew, who has repeatedly denied the allegations, is currently in crisis talks about his legal strategy after a disastrous attempt to defer the case by arguing the papers had not been served properly.
The duke is said to be a doting grandfather to August and will undoubtedly be keen to meet his first granddaughter. But sources say they have no idea when he will return to Windsor.
Beatrice, 33, yesterday spoke of her ‘delight’ at becoming a mother for the first time, thanking London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their ‘wonderful care’.
And she and her husband, edoardo
Mapelli Mozzi, said they cannot wait to introduce their as yet unnamed baby to half-brother Christopher Woolf – known as Wolfie.
The Queen, the Duke and Duchess of York and Mr Mapelli Mozzi’s family are all said to be ‘delighted’ for the couple. eugenie also congratulated her sister, writing on Instagram: ‘Congratulations on your new angel. I can’t wait to meet her and I’m so proud of you. We’re going to have so much fun watching our children grow up.’