Princess Beatrice has taken on a meaningful new role as the patron of Borne, a medical research charity dedicated to ending premature birth. The announcement follows the arrival of her baby daughter, Athena, who was born weeks early—a deeply personal experience that has fueled Beatrice’s commitment to the cause.
Her dedication was evident when she attended Borne’s Wonderland event just weeks after Athena’s birth. Beatrice also reflected on the emotional challenges of premature birth in an open letter for British Vogue, writing:
“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?”
A Parallel to Duchess Sophie’s Advocacy
Beatrice’s advocacy mirrors that of the Duchess of Edinburgh, who has long supported organisations for the visually impaired following her own daughter’s medical challenges.
Sophie’s daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, was born in 2003 with Esotropia, a condition that causes one eye to turn inward. She underwent surgery at 18 months, but the procedure was unsuccessful. The Duchess later explained, “Her squint was quite profound when she was tiny, and it takes time to correct it. You’ve got to make sure one eye doesn’t become more dominant than the other.”
A second operation in 2014 successfully corrected Lady Louise’s vision. Sophie later shared, “She’s fine now—her eyesight is perfect.”
Since then, Sophie has been a tireless advocate for sight loss charities, including Seeing Is Believing, The Vision Foundation, and Orbis UK. She has also taken on a global role, becoming the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness’ Global Ambassador, campaigning to reduce avoidable blindness.
With over a billion people affected by preventable sight loss worldwide, Sophie’s advocacy has made a significant impact, particularly through initiatives like the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, which was established in 2012 to combat blindness across the Commonwealth.
Much like Duchess Sophie, Princess Beatrice is now using her personal experience to support a cause close to her heart—bringing awareness and action to an issue that affects millions of families.
