Princess Beatrice opens up on her Dyslexia battle as she explains why her unborn baby would be 'lucky' to have it

Princess Beatrice
(Image credit: Getty)

Princess Beatrice has opened up on her Dyslexia battle and explained why her unborn baby would be 'lucky' to have it.

Princess Beatrice has opened up on her life-long battle with Dyslexia as she reveals how she feels about the possibility of her unborn child being diagnosed with it.

The mum-to-be was aged seven when she was diagnosed with the learning difficulty that can cause problems with reading, writing, and spelling.

But Beatrice, who is expecting her first child with husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi later this autumn, has described her diagnosis as a 'gift' and a 'learning difference' and says she is keen to use her experience to 'change the narrative'.

Speaking to Hello magazine Back to School digital issue guest editor Giovanna Fletcher, Princess Beatrice said, "Even referring to it as a diagnosis, I feel, does a disservice to the brilliance of some of the most fantastic minds that we have. Just shifting the narrative a little bit towards something that is positive, something that is impactful, can really help everyone."

Beatrice has been a patron of the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity since 2013 - an organisation which she has been 'grateful' to use personally.

Princess Beatrice, who, like most parents, has been struggling with homeschooling, admitted that if her stepson Wolfie, five, or any of her future children are 'lucky' enough to be identified as dyslexic it would be a 'gift'.

Princess Beatrice

When discussing the potential future challenges as a step-mother and future mother after she showed off her growing bump in a rare public appearance earlier this month, reflected, "I was thinking about this as well, that if any child, any bonus son, or future babies that are on their way, are lucky enough to be diagnosed with dyslexia, I feel incredibly grateful to have tools such as the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity to be able to tap into, to give them that extra support.

"I think it's really important for every parent, that they feel they are not alone in this."

In the interview, Beatrice also revealed that her 'husband is also Dyslexic'. She added, 'We'll see whether we're having this conversation in a couple of months' time with a new baby in the house, but I really see it as a gift. And I think life is about the moments, it's the challenges that make you.

She continued, "Of course, I would never want there to be any difficult situations. But I feel like if we're able to embrace some of the tools that we have from the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity and other organisations, then I feel very, very lucky that we can have this conversation."

Princess Beatrice and Edorado Mapelli Mozzi

Speaking about her own upbringing, Beatrice admitted she was 'lucky' to be valued the same as others. She explained, "I was very lucky that when I was first told that I had dyslexia, not one person around me ever made me feel like it was a 'lesser than' scenario. It was always about moving forward, it was always about what you could do. Never about what you can't. And that's something that's really, really important to me."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHZw9QiFMvk

And even today, she says she is using the positives to find solutions. She added, "I think that having dyslexia and reflecting on where I am right now in my career path, and also as an older person looking back, it definitely has allowed me to look at things in a new way and come up with solutions."

Selina Maycock
Senior Family Writer

Selina is a Senior Family Writer for GoodtoKnow and has more than 16 years years of experience. She specialises in royal family news, including the latest activities of Prince George, Charlotte, Louis, Archie and Lilibet. She also covers the latest government, health and charity advice for families. Selina graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2006 with a degree in Journalism, and gained her NCTJ and NCE qualifications. During her career, she’s also written for Woman, Woman's Own, Woman&Home, and Woman's Weekly as well as Heat magazine, Bang Showbiz - and the Scunthorpe Telegraph. When she's not covering family news, you can find her exploring new countryside walking routes, catching up with friends over good food, or making memories (including award-winning scarecrows!)