Crown Princess Elisabeth of Belgium has declined to use her royal status to secure special treatment at Harvard University, where she faces uncertainty over completing her master's degree due to President Trump's ban on international students.
The 23-year-old future queen is standing in solidarity with fellow students affected by the visa restrictions, according to royal journalist Wim Dehandschutter.
"The Crown Princess finds it important to show solidarity with the other foreign students," Dehandschutter said. "She started her studies with them, made many (international) friends, and is in the running club of her university with some of her fellow students."
The Trump administration's May policy blocked international students from attending Harvard classes on visas, though the university's lawsuit has temporarily halted the ban.
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|Crown Princess Elisabeth of Belgium has declined to use her royal status to secure special treatment at Harvard University, where she faces uncertainty over completing her master's degree due to President Trump's ban on international students.
A federal judge in Boston will decide on 21 July whether to continue the Trump administration's policy, creating uncertainty for Elisabeth and other international students.
The hearing date coincides with Belgium's National Day, when the princess is expected to appear publicly with her family in Brussels for celebrations.
Elisabeth has just completed the first year of her two-year master's degree in public policy and is currently in Belgium undertaking an internship whilst fulfilling royal engagements.
Despite her academic future remaining uncertain, Elisabeth and her parents have "indicated that they do not want preferential treatment," according to Dehandschutter.
The princess recognises the delicate nature of benefiting from her royal position, Dehandschutter explained. "Elisabeth also realises how sensitive it is to profit from her status as future queen. It would send the wrong signal to all 'ordinary' students."
The royal journalist highlighted broader implications of Elisabeth's decision.
He said: "Furthermore, higher interests are at stake. Every decision that the queen-in-training has to make herself at this stage can have a political or diplomatic resonance and possibly influence the relations between Belgium and the United States."
Contingency plans are being developed should the Trump administration's ban proceed, with Harvard reportedly exploring the possibility of providing online lessons for affected students.
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|Contingency plans are being developed should the Trump administration's ban proceed, with Harvard reportedly exploring the possibility of providing online lessons for affected students.
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|Elisabeth could potentially return to Oxford, where she previously completed a three-year degree in Politics and History at Lincoln College.
Elisabeth could potentially return to Oxford, where she previously completed a three-year degree in Politics and History at Lincoln College.
Attending a Belgian university would prove complicated, Dehandschutter noted.
"A Belgian university is a sensitive issue, because she would have to choose between a Dutch-speaking and a French-speaking institution, and between a Catholic and a liberal one," he said.
The princess hopes to return to the US later this year to complete her master's degree, but remains prepared to pursue alternative arrangements if necessary.