Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher has welcomed his first grandchild, a baby girl named Millie, born to his daughter Gina-Maria and her husband Iain Bethke. Gina-Maria shared the joyful news on social media, posting on Instagram: "Welcome to the world, Millie. Born on March 29, our hearts are fuller than ever. We are beyond blessed to have you in our lives."

The announcement comes after it was revealed in December that Schumacher was set to become a grandfather, bringing a heartwarming moment of happiness to a family that has endured immense challenges over the past decade.

Since his second and final retirement from F1 in 2012, Schumacher has faced significant health struggles following a devastating skiing accident in the French Alps in 2013. The accident left him with life-altering injuries, and he was placed in a medically induced coma before eventually being allowed to return home, where he continues to receive around-the-clock care from a team of medical professionals and his devoted wife Corinna.

However, 2024 was a year filled with joy for the family, particularly for F1 legend's daughter Gina-Maria. She married Bethke at the family's villa in Majorca last September and announced three months later that they were expecting.

Gina-Maria is one of Schumacher's two children, her brother Mick followed his father's footsteps into F1, racing for Haas for two years. The German racing icon's first grandchild, Millie, was born just a week ago.

Schumacher's wife Corinna has been fiercely guarding her husband's privacy since his life-altering skiing accident in December 2013. Only a select group of trusted individuals have been permitted to visit him or know sensitive details about his condition.

In line with this desire for privacy, Schumacher hasn't made any public appearances since his accident over a decade ago. There were rumours that he attended his daughter's wedding last year, but no confirmation was ever provided.

Guests invited to the wedding were asked to leave their phones with security before entering the venue. This ensured that no one could secretly take photos or videos inside the villa, which the family purchased from Real Madrid president Florentino Perez in 2017 for a reported £27million.

Only a handful of updates have been shared about Schumacher's condition and care, which have been kept largely private. The most recent insight into his health came from Felix Gorner, a well-regarded German F1 journalist, who revealed to RTL: "The situation is very sad. He requires round-the-clock care and is entirely reliant on his caregivers. Moreover, he is no longer able to communicate verbally. ".

This article first appeared on .