Princess Beatrice's inspiring comments about her dyslexia diagnosis
Her husband Edoardo also has dyslexiaPrincess Beatrice has opened up over the years about having dyslexia following her childhood diagnosis.
The eldest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson was seven when she was diagnosed with the learning difficulty.
Beatrice, who celebrates her 37th birthday on August 8, said she sees dyslexia as a “gift” and explained how she navigates it.
Does Princess Beatrice have a learning disability?
Princess Beatrice has dyslexia, which, according to the NHS website, “causes problems with certain abilities used for learning, such as reading and writing”.
Queen Elizabeth II’s granddaughter was diagnosed with dyslexia when she was seven. She went public with the diagnosis in 2005 when she was 16 and taking her GCSE exams.
Beatrice has opened up about having dyslexia on a series of occasions, including when she became patron of the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity in 2013.
Supported by the charity, Beatrice was able to develop a “toolkit” of skills that she had learned to help her navigate her dyslexia.
She said in a statement about her patron role: “Dyslexia is not a pigeonhole to say you can’t do anything. It is an opportunity and a possibility to learn differently. Dyslexics have magical brains, they just process differently. Don’t feel like you should be held back by it.”
How Beatrice and her husband Edoardo navigate their dyslexia
Beatrice’s husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, also has dyslexia. Speaking to HELLO! in 2021, Beatrice said she sees her diagnosis as a “gift”.
She said she and Edoardo, 41, wondered whether their children would also have dyslexia. At the time, the couple were preparing to welcome their first daughter, Sienna.
They have since welcomed another daughter, Athena, born in January 2025.
Dyslexics have magical brains, they just process differently.
Beatrice said: “My husband’s also dyslexic, so 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. 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.”
Beatrice added: “I was thinking about this, 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.”
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‘Even referring to it as a diagnosis I feel does a disservice’
The royal also said she wants to “change the narrative” around dyslexia.
She said that “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”.
Beatrice vowed to help shift the narrative towards “something that is positive, that is impactful” as she thinks this will “really help everyone”.
Read more: Princess Beatrice statement as she takes on new royal patron role
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