Princess Beatrice presses ahead with premature birth charity events amid Andrew scandals

Beatrice was helping raise awareness for the need for more research into premature births, which she described as "incredibly close and personal" following the early arrival of her daughter Athena.

The princess, 37, who is the eldest daughter of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, is fronting a campaign for the charity Borne.

Ahead of World Prematurity Day on November 17, she said: "The work that Borne is undertaking is something that is incredibly close and personal to me following the birth of my daughter.

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"Every year in the UK, 60,000 babies are delivered too soon, with little information or research as to why this is.

"That is why I am really looking forward to supporting Borne and its programme of groundbreaking research, which I hope will help thousands of parents and children in the future."

Her daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose, was born several weeks premature on January 22 despite being due in early spring.

In December, she received medical advice not to travel long distances and instead joined the Royal Family at church in Sandringham on Christmas Day, after changing her travel plans from spending the festive period overseas.

Globally, 15 million babies arrive too soon each year and complications from prematurity remain the leading cause of neonatal death and lifelong disability.

Yet, less than 2 per cent of medical research funding is dedicated to pregnancy and childbirth, Borne also states.

The Borne campaign's message "every week counts" highlighting the need to keep the baby in the womb to term, was used at an event attended by supporters, researchers and families, hosted by Beatrice on Tuesday at London’s Battersea Power Station.

On Monday, the princess toured the Borne research laboratories at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, where she gave birth to Athena.

Borne chief executive David Badcock said: "Her support helps raise awareness of the urgent need for more research into prematurity, an area that has for too long been underfunded and underexplored.

"At Borne we believe that every week counts and, by investing in science today, we can transform the outcomes for families tomorrow."

The Princess and her sister Eugenie have both remained in the royal fold despite the scandal engulfing their parents.

Andrew and their mother Sarah Ferguson have both been punished for their links to disgraced paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The pair have had their titles as Duke and Duchess of York stripped, and Andrew also has had his prince and HRH styles taken from him by the King.

Andrew and Sarah are also being forced to move out of their rent-free 30-room Royal Lodge as part of the reaction to the scandal.