Princess Elisabeth of Belgium has officially completed her two-year postgraduate program at the prestigious Harvard University. The future queen of Belgium earned a Master’s in Public Policy, after previously graduating in History and Politics at the University of Oxford. The eldest of the generation of heiress princesses, to whom Princess Leonor also belongs, has also been the first woman in her family to receive military training.
The Duchess of Brabant enrolled in this Ivy League faculty in autumn 2024, but her studies nearly had to be interrupted last summer due to the ongoing conflict between Harvard and the Trump Administration. At that time it emerged that King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium did not want special treatment for their daughter, and that Elisabeth herself wanted to “show solidarity with other foreign students”.
Now the Belgian princess joins a long list of members of royalty who have passed through Harvard. Among them, King Frederik of Denmark, who studied at this Massachusetts university under the name Frederik Henriksen. Or Empress Masako of Japan, who graduated magna cum laude from Harvard in 1985 with a degree in Economics. For her part, Elisabeth’s father chose the West Coast and earned a Master’s degree in Political Science from Stanford University.
“I have learned a lot during my stay, and my worldview has undoubtedly broadened,” Elisabeth told Paris Match in an interview in which she reviews her time in the United States and a future that will one day lead her to the throne of her country. “Being here has allowed me to see the world from a completely different perspective. This experience has taught me a lot and given me much to think about.”
Elisabeth of Belgium and Her Role as Queen
The daughter of King Philippe said in the French magazine that she tried to lead a normal student life while living in an apartment with a few friends. She notes that she especially enjoyed the feeling of not being recognized on the street, unlike what happens in her country, and when asked to pick two special moments, she chooses two: her younger sister’s visit, Princess Eleonore, and the chance to take part in the New York Marathon.
When asked how these two years at Harvard have prepared her for her future role as queen, Elisabeth said that both this stage and her time at Oxford “have given me a solid foundation.” How to reflect, how to form opinions, how to structure thoughts. I also had the opportunity to focus on certain regions of the world. I became very interested in the Middle East and Asia, especially China.
Princess Elisabeth, with her parents after graduating from Harvard.
The Duchess of Brabant also acknowledged that in her youth she did not enjoy the freedom of other young women her age, “but this situation also opened many doors for me. It gave me opportunities and unique possibilities.” Now she faces the challenge of being the first woman to reign in Belgium, not as a consort, but in her own right. Although she had no qualms in calling her destiny “historic,” Elisabeth added that “inheriting the throne does not define who I am. What matters to me above all is to know how, in the future, to better fulfil my role in the service of society.”
A Future Without Abdication in Sight
Princess Elisabeth has spent seven of the last eight years abroad and now returns home after missing her family, friends “and Belgian chocolate,” which is the best in the world. As for her future from now on, it was reported that she planned to cross the Atlantic by sailing, but that turned out to be false rumor. In the interview, the young woman was prudent: “I am giving myself a bit of time to travel and do other things. It could be a year or more. It is important to lay solid foundations and not rush things.”
Meanwhile, the moment when King Philippe decides to hand over the powers is not something that keeps her awake. “Everything in its time. I think my father is doing very well, and for now, I am very happy with my position. There is a right moment for everything, and that moment will come,” the princess said, before signing off with the best advice given to her by the Belgian monarch: “Be humble and work hard.”
