Princess Beatrice dotes on baby daughter on family outing to Lionesses' victory parade

Princess Beatrice made a surprise appearance mingling with crowds at the Lionesses' victory parade today - giving a glimpse of her new baby daughter, Athena. Beatrice and husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi appeared to be having a family day out as they joined the thousands congratulating theEngland Women's team after their epic Euros win.

Sarina Wiegman and her players enjoyed an open-top bus ride down the Mall before stopping in front of Buckingham Palace, where captain Leah Williamson lifted the trophy in front of cheering fans. And with the celebrations taking place just a stone's throw from Beatrice and Edo's London home in St James' Palace, they made their way out onto the Mall with seven-month-old Athena, three-year-old Sienna and Edo's son Christopher Woolfe, aged eight.

Beatrice, with her hair tied back, could be seen gently stroking Athena's face as the baby was carried by dad, Edo. Sienna proudly waved what appeared to be a homemade St George's Cross flag alongside older brother Wolfie.

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It is one of the first times that Athena has been seen in public since her arrival back in January, when she was born several weeks prematurely. Beatrice was due to give birth in early spring, but last December she received medical advice and was told by doctors not to travel long distances.

In a personal essay in British Vogue, after welcoming Athena, Beatrice opened up a period of intense worry as she learned that her daughter might be born prematurely.

She wrote: “Nothing quite prepares you for the moment when you realise your baby is going to arrive early. There’s so little control. Will she arrive healthy? Will there be complications? How will you juggle the rest of family life while trying to keep a tiny human safe and well?"

She added: "What I learnt in this process has been humbling: understanding so much more about our remarkable human bodies, but also, more than anything, what we don’t know."

The outing for Beatrice and her family comes as the Lionesses were cheered by thousands of fans along The Mall after the team defended their Euros title with a penalty shootout win over Spain in the final in Basel, Switzerland.

Wearing white Nike T-shirts and England scarves, the team took photos with their phones as the buses travelled down the street, led by the Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines Portsmouth and flanked on either side by cheering fans waving flags.

Manager Sarina Wiegman danced alongside afrobeat star Burna Boy on stage before captain Leah Williamson lifted the trophy in the air to huge cheers.

Speaking on stage at the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of the palace to host Alex Scott, a tearful Williamson said: “I’ve been crying all the way down The Mall.

“This is unbelievable, probably one of the best things we’ve ever, ever been a part of, so thank you for coming out.”

Williamson described the team as “special, special people”, adding: “We love each other, we’ve got each other’s backs on and off the pitch. We had tough moments, nasty things to deal with, and still we rise.”