Princess Elisabeth's Future at Harvard in Limbo Amid Trump's Ban on International Students
Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, heir to the Belgian throne, is facing uncertainty over her academic future at Harvard University following a controversial policy announced by U.S. President Donald Trump that effectively bans international students from attending certain U.S. universities.
The 23-year-old royal, currently enrolled in a Master's program in Public Policy at Harvard, may be forced to leave the university or transfer to another institution unless the policy is overturned. The move has sparked global concern, particularly in countries with students pursuing education in the U.S.
According to Belgian Royal Palace spokesperson Lore Vandoorne, Princess Elisabeth has just completed her first year at Harvard. 'The impact of this decision will only become clear in the coming days and weeks. We are looking into the matter,' she said in a statement to Reuters.
Xavier Baert, the palace's communications director, echoed the sentiment: 'We are analyzing this at the moment and will let things settle. A lot can still happen in the coming days and weeks.'
Before enrolling at Harvard, Princess Elisabeth graduated with a degree in History and Politics from Oxford University in the UK. As the eldest child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, she is next in line to the Belgian throne.
The Trump administration's directive mandates that international students either transfer to institutions not impacted by the ban or risk losing their legal status in the United States. Harvard University, which has over 7,000 international students, filed a lawsuit in federal court to challenge the move.
In the legal filing, Harvard argued that the new restrictions would have 'an immediate and devastating effect' on the university's community and academic integrity. 'Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard,' the university stated.
U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs has since issued a temporary restraining order, halting enforcement of the policy while the case proceeds through court.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson dismissed the lawsuit, stating, 'If only Harvard cared this much about ending the scourge of anti-American, anti-Semitic, pro-terrorist agitators on their campus, they wouldn't be in this situation to begin with.'
As legal battles continue and diplomatic channels quietly engage, the future of many international students—including a European royal—hangs in the balance.
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