Friday 3 February 2012
Flora Watkins, H&H news editor
William Whitaker and his girlfriend Elisabeth Fredlund are celebrating the birth of their first child.
Isabella Emma Maria Whitaker was born at 10.45pm yesterday (1 February) at the Halifax Royal Infirmary, weighing a healthy 9lb 1oz.
âIâm very proud and really excited,â William told H&H.
âSheâs a big baby â Elisabeth coped really well. Put it this way â rather her than me!â he joked.
William, 22, is a cousin of Ellen and Robert Whitaker and nephew of British team stalwarts John and Michael. His father Ian is the only non-showjumping brother of the Yorkshire family.
âWe brought Isabella home last night (2 February).
âShe was pretty good actually, she was very well-behaved,â said William.
âSheâs feeding well, too. Maybe sheâs lulling us into a false sense of security!â
William met Elisabeth, who is Swedish, at a horse show in Italy.
So will baby Isabella go into the family âbusinessâ?
âI would think thereâll be only one thing that sheâll do,â joked William.âBut of course we will be happy for her to do whatever she wants.â