Latest news with #BelgianRoyalPalace
News18
3 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Princess Elisabeth, Belgium's Future Queen, Returns Home Amid Doubtful Harvard Future
Last Updated: Elisabeth is on her summer vacation in Belgium and was recently spotted accompanying her mother, Queen Mathilde, to the Queen Elisabeth Piano Competition at the Bozar in Brussels Princess Elisabeth, the 23-year-old heir apparent to the Belgian throne, has returned to Belgium after completing her first year in a two-year master's programme in public policy at Harvard University amid growing uncertainty over her future at the Ivy League institution after the Trump administration's crackdown on international students. The Hindustan Times, quoting media outlet 'Het Laatste Nieuws', said Elisabeth is on her summer vacation in Belgium and was recently spotted accompanying her mother, Queen Mathilde, to the Queen Elisabeth Piano Competition at the Bozar in Brussels. She has reportedly also joined an internship related to international relations and human rights. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had demanded that Harvard provide detailed records of its international students, including information on any 'illegal and violent activities". Failure to comply could have resulted in the university losing its eligibility to enroll foreign students under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). In response, Harvard refused to turn over the requested records, citing concerns over academic freedom and student privacy. Subsequently, the administration froze over $2 billion in federal grants and contracts to the university. In the face of these developments, a Massachusetts judge issued a preliminary injunction temporarily preventing changes to Harvard's visa programme, offering a glimmer of hope to international students like Princess Elisabeth. Nonetheless, the situation remains fluid, and the Belgian Royal Palace has acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the princess's ability to continue her studies in the US. Born in 2001, Elisabeth is the eldest of the four children of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium. She is the heir to the Belgian throne and will one day make history as Belgium's first-ever Queen regnant. According to New York Post, before enrolling at Harvard, Princess Elisabeth earned a degree in history and politics from the University of Oxford. She has also undergone military training at the Royal Military Academy in Belgium. Fluent in Dutch, French, German, and English, she is considered a promising future leader. When the ban was announced last month, Belgian Royal Palace's spokesperson Lore Vandoorne was quoted by Reuters as saying: 'Princess Elisabeth has just completed her first year. The impact of (the Trump administration's) decision will only become clearer in the coming days/weeks. We are currently investigating the situation". A report in the Times of India highlighted how the uncertainty surrounding US policies on international students has had a ripple effect on global education trends. Traditional academic powerhouses, particularly in the United States, are facing challenges that threaten their dominance in global education. A combination of restrictive visa policies, stricter immigration laws, and rising educational costs are diminishing their appeal to international students. This volatility has spurred a shift in global student mobility, with countries offering more favourable immigration policies and affordable education becoming attractive alternatives. First Published: June 02, 2025, 11:13 IST
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Belgium's future queen caught up in Trump administration's Harvard foreign student ban effort
The future queen of Belgium may face complications pursuing her master's degree at Harvard amid the Trump administration's move Thursday to ban the Ivy League school from enrolling international students. Princess Elisabeth, 23, is the eldest of the four children of Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, and the future heir to the throne. The Duchess of Brabant is currently pursuing a master's degree in public policy at Harvard, following an undergraduate degree in history and politics from Oxford University in the United Kingdom. 'Princess Elisabeth has just completed her first year. The impact of (the Trump administration's) decision will only become clearer in the coming days/weeks," the Belgian Royal Palace's spokesperson Lore Vandoorne told Reuters. "We are currently investigating the situation.' Harvard sued the administration Friday in response to the ban, arguing that efforts to block foreign students from enrolling violates the First Amendment and would significantly alter the university's operations, where a quarter of the student body are international students. The Belgian Royal Palace's communication director, Xavier Baert, added they will "let things settle," and that a "lot can still happen in the coming days and weeks," Reuters reported. The ongoing battle between the Trump administration and America's oldest university was sparked after Harvard rejected a list of the administration's demands issued by the Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, including reforms to whom the Ivy League school is allowed to hire and admit. Alan M. Garber, Harvard's president, said in a letter to the university's community Friday that the actions against international students are "unlawful and unwarranted." "It imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars across Harvard and serves as a warning to countless others at colleges and universities throughout the country who have come to America to pursue their education and fulfill their dreams," Garber wrote. This article was originally published on
CNBC
23-05-2025
- Politics
- CNBC
Belgium's future queen caught up in Trump administration's Harvard foreign student ban effort
The future queen of Belgium may face complications pursuing her master's degree at Harvard amid the Trump administration's move Thursday to ban the Ivy League school from enrolling international students. Princess Elisabeth, 23, is the eldest of the four children of Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, and the future heir to the throne. The Duchess of Brabant is currently pursuing a master's degree in public policy at Harvard, following an undergraduate degree in history and politics from Oxford University in the United Kingdom. "Princess Elisabeth has just completed her first year. The impact of (the Trump administration's) decision will only become clearer in the coming days/weeks," the Belgian Royal Palace's spokesperson Lore Vandoorne told Reuters. "We are currently investigating the situation." Harvard sued the administration Friday in response to the ban, arguing that efforts to block foreign students from enrolling violates the First Amendment and would significantly alter the university's operations, where a quarter of the student body are international students. The Belgian Royal Palace's communication director, Xavier Baert, added they will "let things settle," and that a "lot can still happen in the coming days and weeks," Reuters reported. The ongoing battle between the Trump administration and America's oldest university was sparked after Harvard rejected a list of the administration's demands issued by the Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, including reforms to whom the Ivy League school is allowed to hire and admit. Alan M. Garber, Harvard's president, said in a letter to the university's community Friday that the actions against international students are "unlawful and unwarranted." "It imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars across Harvard and serves as a warning to countless others at colleges and universities throughout the country who have come to America to pursue their education and fulfill their dreams," Garber wrote.
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Trump could have the future Queen of Belgium Elisabeth, 23, kicked out of Harvard under new ban
President Donald Trump 's ban on foreign students studying at Harvard could result in Princess Elisabeth of Belgium having to leave the ivy league university. The 23-year-old future queen just completed her first year of study and may not be able to return to its Boston campus after Trump revoked Harvard's ability to enroll international students on Thursday. 'Princess Elisabeth has just completed her first year. The impact of (the Trump administration's) decision will only become clearer in the coming days/weeks. We are currently investigating the situation,' the Belgian Royal Palace's spokesperson Lore Vandoorne told Reuters. Crown Princess Elisabeth of Belgium on her first day at Harvard, where she is studying for a Masters degree in public policy Trump's ban is forcing foreign students to transfer to other schools or lose their legal status in the U.S. The president has threatened to expand the crackdown to other colleges. Harvard is suing to counter the order, calling it an illegal move and retaliation against the school. The Palace is waiting to see how things play out. 'We are analyzing this at the moment and will let things settle. A lot can still happen in the coming days and weeks,' the Palace's communication director, Xavier Baert, told the Associated Press. Elisabeth will spend the summer back in Belgium. 'And we´ll have to see what happens next year,' Baert said. Elisabeth will be Belgium's first reigning Queen when she ascends the throne. The eldest of four children born to King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, she also has studied at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels. She speaks Dutch, French, German and English. At Harvard, the princess studying Public Policy, a two-year master's degree program that prepares students for a life of public service. Before studying in the United States, she earned a degree in history and politics from Oxford University in the United Kingdom. Harvard enrolls almost 6,800 foreign students at its campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, accounting for more than a quarter of its student body. Most are graduate students, coming from more than 100 countries. The Harvard Kennedy School has almost half its student body from abroad and Harvard Business School is about one-third international students. The university has several notable alumni who are not American-born, including Canadian author Margaret Atwood, Indian billionaire philanthropists Ratan Tata and Anand Mahindra, and author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. In its lawsuit filed Friday in federal court in Boston, Harvard said the government's action violates the First Amendment and will have an 'immediate and devastating effect for Harvard and more than 7,000 visa holders.' 'With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard's student body, international students who contribute significantly to the University and its mission,' Harvard said in its suit. 'Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard.' The threat to Harvard's international enrollment stems from an April 16 request from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who demanded that Harvard provide information about foreign students that might implicate them in violence or protests that could lead to their deportation. Noem said Harvard can regain its ability to host foreign students if it produces a trove of records on foreign students within 72 hours. Harvard is filing for a temporary restraining order while awaiting the formal court case. This case is separate from the Trump administration's attempt to ban federal funding from the school
NBC News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Belgium's future queen caught up in Trump administration's Harvard foreign student ban effort
The future queen of Belgium may face complications pursuing her master's degree at Harvard amid the Trump administration's move on Thursday to ban the Ivy League school from enrolling international students. Princess Elisabeth, 23, is the eldest of four children to Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, and the future heir to the throne. The Duchess of Brabant is currently pursuing a master's degree in public policy at Harvard, following an undergraduate degree in history and politics from Oxford University in the U.K. 'Princess Elisabeth has just completed her first year. The impact of (the Trump administration's) decision will only become clearer in the coming days/weeks," the Belgian Royal Palace's spokesperson Lore Vandoorne told Reuters. "We are currently investigating the situation.' Harvard sued the administration on Friday in response to the ban, arguing efforts to block foreign students from enrolling violates the First Amendment and would significantly alter the university's operations, where a quarter of the student body are international students. The Belgian Royal Palace's communication director, Xavier Baert, added they will "let things settle," and that a "lot can still happen in the coming days and weeks," Reuters reported. The ongoing battle between the Trump administration and America's oldest university was sparked after Harvard rejected a list of the administration's demands issued by the Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, including reforms to who the Ivy League school is allowed to hire and admit. Alan M. Garber, Harvard's president, said in a letter to the university's community on Friday that the actions against international students are "unlawful and unwarranted." "It imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars across Harvard and serves as a warning to countless others at colleges and universities throughout the country who have come to America to pursue their education and fulfill their dreams," Garber wrote.
