On January 29, Prince William appeared in high spirits as he attended a royal engagement, all while his cousin Princess Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, joyfully celebrated the birth of their second child, Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi.
The Prince of Wales was in Guildford visiting NatureMetrics, a UK-based environmental company and 2024 finalist in The Earthshot Prize’s “Protect & Restore Nature” category. The company works with businesses to help track their impact on the environment using advanced technologies like environmental DNA (eDNA).
While William focused on sustainability and environmental issues, his cousin Beatrice was quietly marking the birth of her daughter, Athena. Athena arrived prematurely on January 22 at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, but both the baby and Beatrice are said to be doing well. Buckingham Palace shared that Beatrice and Edoardo were “delighted” by their daughter’s safe arrival.
During his visit, William participated in a hands-on eDNA demonstration with schoolchildren, extracting water samples from a local lake. When one child suggested he aim the syringe at the waiting press, William joked, “This is like the best day of my life.”
Later, William toured NatureMetrics’ labs, meeting with science communicator Big Manny and learning about the company’s efforts to make environmental solutions more accessible to younger generations.
In response to the birth announcement, the Prince and Princess of Wales expressed their happiness by “liking” the social media post about Athena’s arrival, joining in the family’s celebration.
