Princess Beatrice says the experience of a premature birth can "incredibly lonely".

The 37-year-old royal's baby girl Athena was born several weeks premature in January, but she admitted mothers feel a sense of "life-changing relief" when they find out about premature birth research charity Borne.

Speaking on the Borne podcast, she said: "I think so often, especially as mums, we spend our lives feeling we have to be perfect.

"When you are faced with that moment of learning your baby's going to come a bit early, it can be incredibly lonely.

"And even now, talking to some of the mums who know about my work with Borne, they feel this sense of life-changing relief that can come with knowing that there is an organisation that is supporting the research... and asking some of these important questions."

Beatrice praised Borne for ensuring "no Mum can feel alone" during some "traumatic" premature births.

She added: "My favourite thing about being a mum is the fact that it's like a secret, you know, it almost feels like a secret club of sharing stories.

"And I love the fact that Borne is there to support them [mothers] when they're going through something incredibly traumatic, and how can we make sure that phenomenal data, great tools, great doctors, have everything at their disposal so that no Mum can feel alone."

In March, Beatrice - who also has four-year-old daughter Sienna with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi - told how she cried "tears of relief" when Athena was born.

In an essay for British Vogue, she wrote: "I was very fortunate to be monitored closely by a medical team and I'm extremely aware of how lucky I am.

"This is a driving force in me to do as much as possible to help where I can. Athena arrived healthy, a few weeks before her due date. She was so tiny it took more than a few weeks for the tears of relief to dry and for life with our healthy baby to feel real. Her feet were so small - almost the same size as the paws on one of my older daughter's soft bunnies."