Hidden clue in Princess Beatrice's baby's name could actually be a tribute to Prince Andrew

It didn't take long after Princess Beatrice announced a new addition to her family for royal conspiracists to begin whipping up theories about her newborn daughter's unusual name.

And one proposition currently doing the rounds online suggests that the tot's moniker may actually be a tribute to her grandfather, the disgraced Prince Andrew.

For those out of the loop, 36-year-old Beatrice announced the happy news on Wednesday (29 Jan) that she and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 41, had welcomed a beautiful baby girl.

Taking to Instagram, the royal shared a sweet snap of the newborn, donning a long-sleeved baby sleepsuit and wrapped in a pink blanket.

Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzi was born on January 22 (PA)

Buckingham Palace later revealed that Beatrice and Edoardo's daughter had been named Athena Elizabeth Rose.

The statement added that the infant - who was scheduled to be born in the spring - had arrived prematurely on January 22 at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London - but was doing well.

The name Beatrice and property developer Edoardo - who are already parents to a three-year-old daughter named Sienna - have chosen to give their latest addition has sparked much debate, however.

And some royal spectators have been left wondering whether one clue in Athena's name may hint that she's actually named after Beatrice's father, Prince Andrew.

The couple share two daughters (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

As has been the case with several royal babies, the newborn's middle name is a tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II, Beatrice's grandmother, who died in 2022.

Though it hasn't been confirmed, it is thought that the tot's second middle name is a tribute to the York family, whose historical symbol is a rose.

(Prince Andrew and Beatrice's mother, Sarah Ferguson, are still known as the Duke and Duchess of York).

But what about her first name? Any fan of ancient history will be well aware by now that Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom, and the daughter of Zeus, King of the Gods.

Whether Beatrice and Edoardo are diehard fans of mythology, however, remains unclear.

What Tatler reportedly reckons, however, is that it was selected as a tribute to her father, Andrew, and that their first-born, Sienna, was a tribute to her mother, Sarah (Fergie).

Andrew is understood to be close to his daughters (Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)

After the latter's 2021 birth, a source told Hello! that the couple were 'looking for an Italian name which started with an S for Sarah', adding that they wanted 'to honour the Duchess'.

So, if 'S' is said to be for Sarah, could 'A' be aimed at Andrew?

Though the Duke of York, 64, stepped down from public duties in back in May 2020 amid the controversy surrounding his years of friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, it is thought that he still boasts a close relationship with his daughters.

Another insider told Hello! in November last year that both Beatrice and her sister, Eugenie, visit their father at this Windsor Estate property 'most weekends', adding: "They are spending far more time with him now than they have done in recent years.

"They are quite close to their father; they seem to be quite protective towards him."