Crown Princess Elisabeth of Belgium has refused to use her royal status to secure preferential treatment at Harvard University.
The heir to the Belgian throne is one of 7,000 other international students facing potential exclusion following President Trump's attempted ban.
The 23-year-old princess, who recently completed her first year of a master's degree in Public Policy, has told palace officials she wants to "show solidarity with the other foreign students", according to well-informed sources.
Despite her privileged position as King Philippe's daughter, Elisabeth has made clear she will not seek exceptional measures to continue her studies at the prestigious institution, Belgian outlet Het Laatste Nieuws reported.
Princess Elisabeth of Belgium has refused to use her royal status amid uncertainty about her future in the US
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Both King Philippe and Queen Mathilde support their daughter's stance against preferential treatment, sources confirm.
A Massachusetts judge has temporarily blocked Trump's decision to revoke Harvard's ability to enrol foreign students, but the verdict remains pending, leaving Elisabeth and thousands of others in limbo.
The Royal Palace of Brussels has previously acknowledged the uncertain situation, with communications head Xavier Baert stating: "We are looking into the situation, to see what kind of impact this decision might have on the princess, or not. It's too early to say right now."
Elisabeth is said to recognise that accepting special measures could damage Belgium's diplomatic relations with the United States and send the wrong message to ordinary students facing the same predicament, HLN reported.
Elisabeth is among 7,000 other international students at Harvard potentially facing exclusion amid President Trump's attempted ban
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The crown princess has formed close friendships with international students at Harvard, including running partners in the university's running club, and remains committed to standing with them during the uncertainty.
Elisabeth graduated from Lincoln College at Oxford University in 2024 with a degree in history and politics before beginning her Harvard studies, with her annual tuition costing £45,800, or 53,100 euros.
The princess, who speaks four languages and received an Honorary Award from the Fulbright programme, is currently undertaking a summer internship at an unnamed institution in Brussels.
She previously trained at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels, studying social and military sciences.
Elisabeth is the eldest daughter of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde and heir to the Belgian throne
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Harvard risks losing one billion dollars (£732,305,700) if the ban proceeds, as most students pay their own tuition fees, according to The Washington Post.
The Kennedy School of Government, where Princess Elisabeth studies, has already begun laying off employees and reducing departments and study programmes in response to the crisis.
Trump has accused Harvard of harbouring "anti-American" values and being "too woke and too left-wing", whilst alleging the institution fails to combat anti-Semitism on campus.
The dispute escalated on April 16 when Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanded Harvard provide information about foreign students potentially implicated in violence or protests, which the university refused.
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President Trump has been increasing pressure on Harvard.
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The US President also posted on Truth Social that "Harvard should lose its Tax-Exempt Status" and later signed a proclamation blocking foreign students from entering the US to attend Harvard.
Harvard has called the actions an "escalating campaign of retaliation" that "threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country".
Multiple federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, Department of Defence and National Science Foundation, cancelled their grants with Harvard.
US District Judge Allison Dale Burroughs has repeatedly intervened, issuing temporary restraining orders in May and June to block Trump's attempts to bar international students.
The judge most recently extended the temporary block on June 16, providing continued protection for Elisabeth and other foreign students while legal challenges proceed.
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