Crown Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, daughter of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, has chosen not to use her royal status to bypass potential visa restrictions impacting her studies at Harvard University.
The decision comes amid a legal battle over a proposed policy by then-President Donald Trump, which threatened to bar international students from attending in-person classes while on a student visa.
According to Belgian royal correspondent Wim Dehandscutter, the princess has opted to stand in solidarity with her fellow foreign students rather than seek preferential treatment. “The Crown Princess finds it important to show solidarity with the other foreign students,” he stated.
In May, the Trump administration introduced a policy aiming to limit the presence of international students at institutions like Harvard. The university swiftly challenged the ruling in court, resulting in a temporary suspension of the ban.
A final decision on the matter is expected during a court hearing scheduled for July 21 in Boston. Notably, this date coincides with Belgium’s National Day, a significant occasion on which Princess Elisabeth is anticipated to appear alongside her family in Brussels.
Elisabeth has just completed the first year of her two-year master’s degree in public policy at Harvard. Should the court uphold the proposed visa restrictions, the young royal may be forced to reconsider her academic future in the United States.