Belgium's future queen Elisabeth has just finished the first year of her Master's degree at Harvard. However, with US President Donald Trump revoking universities' permission to admit international students, the future of the Crown Princess' education is now uncertain.
The Trump administration denied Harvard permission to allow international students to take courses after the university refused to provide full information about their possible involvement in protests against the war in Gaza. As a result, foreign students – including Elisabeth – will not be able to study there.
"We are currently examining the situation," Xavier Baert, the Palace's communication director, told The Brussels Times. "There are still a number of uncertainties, and we are taking our time to see how things will develop in the coming days and weeks."
Elisabeth has just completed the first year exams of her two-year Master's in Public Policy at Harvard's Kennedy School campus in Boston. She was also selected for an Honorary Award from the Fulbright Program, the US State Department's international education exchange programme.
Three scenarios
Whatever the outcome, the Belgian princess is set to return home this summer where she will attend the National Holiday celebrations on 21 July, according to royalty expert Wim Dehandschutter. "Elisabeth will still do a seven-week summer internship with a view to her second year at Harvard. That does suggest that she might be able to return next academic year," he told The Brussels Times.
Dehandschutter pointed to three potential scenarios. "The first option is that Trump stands by his decision – a scenario that would only lead to more questions for Elisabeth."
"Will her first year be lost, or will she get a certificate to prove that she successfully completed the first of those two years? Can she then go to another university with that? Could she then pick up where she left off, or will she have to retake her first year? Will that be in Belgium, or maybe in the United Kingdom?"
Crown Princess Elisabeth arrives for the graduation ceremony of the University of Oxford at the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford, 23 July 2024. Credit: Belga/Laurie Dieffembacq
Option two is that Trump makes an exception for royalty and other so-called "elite" students. Many children of royalty, world leaders or important CEOs take classes at Harvard.
But if he offers Elisabeth an exception, will she take it? "I do not think they would. It would send quite a bad signal to ‘ordinary people’ if you promote a society of equal opportunities for all, but then make use of such an exception," Dehandschutter said.
The third option is that Trump withdraws his decision – something he has done in the past. "While we could say that all is well that ends well, it has still been a very difficult period for Elisabeth and the Royal Family. Harvard's education has also now been cast in a negative light by Trump, which of course is not nice for the students, including Elisabeth."
What about Belgium?
Another option might be for Elisabeth to finish her education in the United Kingdom, where she completed her Bachelor's degree in History and Politics at Oxford last year, or even Belgium.
However, choosing to study in her home country would come with a few extra layers of Belgium-specific complexities, explained Dehandschutter. "Should she go to a Dutch- or French-speaking university? A Catholic or a liberal one? Symbolically, those decisions will be very important here."
To avoid having to make these kinds of choices, Dehandschutter stressed that studying abroad would be Elisabeth's best option – wherever that may be.
