Princess Beatrice’s friend Alice Naylor-Leyland shocked friends earlier this year by announcing that she and her husband had had a son via a surrogate mother in the United States.
She already had three children with Tom Naylor-Leyland, who is heir to a baronetcy and the £176m Fitzwilliam landed fortune.
Now Alice, 38, has arranged for her daughter Margot to receive a “designer” christening.
The baby was christened at the weekend at St Mary the Virgin Church in Marholm, Cambridgeshire, near her husband’s family home, Milton Hall.
Margot’s godmothers were fashion designer Emilia Wickstead, whose clients include the Princess of Wales and Lady (Samantha) Cameron, and Emerald Fennell, the Oscar-winning director of Saltburn.
Princess Beatrice’s friend Alice Naylor-Leyland has given her surrogate daughter a ‘designer’ christening
The baby was christened at the weekend at St Mary the Virgin Church in Marholm, Cambridgeshire, near her husband’s family home, Milton Hall.
Alice with Princess Beatrice at a VIP dinner in honour of Madame Alice for French Sole at the Connaught Hotel in London
“We couldn’t have felt more love,” Alice says.
In April, she explained why she had turned to a surrogate mother: “I realize it was an act of greed to have that burning desire to complete our family,” she said.
“But due to many complications, setbacks, miscarriages and then being told I could no longer carry a baby, we decided to venture into the world of surrogacy.”
She thanked the surrogate mother, who she did not name, and said: “Without the kindness and courage of our beloved surrogate mother and the brilliance of modern science using our own embryo, we would not be here.”
Alice added: “It’s been a crazy ride, but now that we’ve arrived, I can’t wait to enjoy every minute of it.”
Announcing her new baby, the socialite shared photos of adorable Margot wrapped in pink fabrics.
“Meet Margot, our little miracle,” the message read. “Born April 14, 2024, we continue to be so grateful for our precious baby girl.”
Alice described the surrogacy process as a “crazy journey” and said the couple chose this option after “too many complications, setbacks and miscarriages.”
Alice shared photos of her fourth baby, Margot, wrapped in pink fabrics
While commercial surrogacy is common in the United States, in Britain it is only legal if the mother is not paid, unless there are “reasonable” costs.
Alice runs a business selling themed board games. Guests at the launch of her first pop-up store for her spring table décor collection ‘Mrs Alice’ in California included Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon.
As of 2022, the Naylor-Leylands lived with their children at Stibbington House in Cambridgeshire, where they enjoyed entertaining high society friends.
The couple are also believed to have a flat in Chelsea, London, and a family home in Malton, North Yorkshire, where their family owns the 17th-century Talbot Hotel. They are credited with helping transform Malton into a trendy foodie destination.
