Latest news with #BelgianRoyalPalace
New York Post
3 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Belgium's future queen Princess Elisabeth's fate at Harvard revealed after Trump's foreign student crackdown
Belgium's future queen, Princess Elisabeth, will be allowed to continue her studies at Harvard University this fall following uncertainty over President Trump's crackdown on international student enrollment. The 23-year-old royal is enrolled at the Ivy League school to study public policy in a two-year master's program, which aims to prepare students for a 'successful career in public service.' Elisabeth wrapped up her first year at the university in May — but faced the risk of being sent back to Belgium after the commander in chief cut billions in federal funding and moved to restrict the institution's ability to enroll foreigners. 5 Belgium's future queen, Princess Elisabeth, will be allowed to continue her studies at Harvard University this fall. Max Bueno / Belgian Royal Palace After a Massachusetts judge ordered the federal government not to make any changes to the prestigious college's student visa program, a Belgian journalist close to the situation has confirmed the royal's plan of action. 'There are no concrete reasons why she would not be able to return to Harvard in September,' Belgian royal journalist, Wim Dehandschutter, told Hello! magazine on Tuesday. The reporter told the outlet that the Belgian palace had told him that the princess was optimistic about her future at the prestigious school, but would have equally continued her studies online if the ban was upheld. According to Dehandschutter, palace officials faced a delicate diplomatic challenge in responding to Trump's directive. 5 The 23-year-old royal faced uncertainty over President Trump's crackdown on international student enrollment. Max Bueno / Belgian Royal Palace 5 Elisabeth is enrolled at the Ivy League school to study public policy in a two-year master's program, which aims to prepare students for a 'successful career in public service.' 'I think the royal palace is keeping communication understated because they don't want to create a fuss or scandal,' he told the outlet. 'I suspect they don't want to create tensions with the US. The ban on foreign studies was a decision of President Trump, a head of state like King Philippe and therefore a 'colleague.'' Follow The Post's royal family live blog for the latest pics, news, exclusive details and more Still, Dehandschutter said the palace is 'happy that a solution has been found.' 'They were in a difficult situation,' he went on. 'Even if Trump were to make an exception for Elisabeth, because she is the daughter of a reigning king and a future queen herself, that would send a strange message from the royal family and could lead to significant criticism that they condone discrimination against other students.' 5 The POTUS halted billions in federal grants and tried to throttle the Ivy League institution's ability to enroll foreigners. AFP via Getty Images Elisabeth, who also goes by the title of Duchess of Brabant in her home country, was just one of the thousands of international students at the university who eagerly awaited the results of the square-off. At the time, the Belgian Royal Palace spoke out on the uncertainty, saying it was too soon to tell the outcome of the dispute. '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,' Lore Vandoorne, a spokesperson for the Belgian Royal House said in a statement. We are currently investigating the situation.' '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, added. 5 The princess is the heir to the Belgian throne, being the eldest of four children born to King Philippe and Queen Mathilde. Belga/AFP via Getty Images The princess is the heir to the Belgian throne, being the eldest of four children born to King Philippe and Queen Mathilde. Before enrolling at Harvard, Elisabeth earned a history and politics degree from the University of Oxford in England.
News24
2 days ago
- Politics
- News24
Belgian princess to resume Harvard studies after Trump move to ban foreign students
Princess Elisabeth is allowed to continue her studies at Harvard despite a US government move to block foreign students. A federal judge ruled against the Trump administration's foreign student ban, maintaining the injunction for now. Elisabeth is studying a two-year Public Policy master's programme at Harvard, aimed at careers in public service. Elisabeth, 23-year-old heir to the Belgian throne, will be able to continue her studies at Harvard University, her spokespeople said, after she was caught up in a US government move to bar international students from studying there. 'I can confirm that, for now, all the conditions seem to be in place for the princess to continue her studies at Harvard,' the Belgian Royal Palace's communication director, Xavier Baert, said on Tuesday, confirming a newspaper report. When US President Donald Trump's administration announced the ban in May, the Royal Palace voiced concern that Princess Elisabeth, a Belgian national, might be unable to continue her studies at Harvard. However, in June, a federal judge blocked the administration from implementing the proclamation Trump signed that sought to bar foreign nationals from entering the US to study at Harvard. The Trump administration has said it is trying to force change at Harvard and other top-level universities across the US, contending they have become bastions of leftist 'woke' thought and antisemitism, which they deny. The administration has appealed the judge's ruling, but with the new school year set to begin on 2 September, the injunction against the foreign student ban remains in effect. The future queen of Belgium is set to begin her second year of a two-year master's programme in Public Policy at Harvard, a course designed to broaden students' perspectives and sharpen their skills for 'successful careers in public service', according to Harvard's website. Almost 6 800 international students attended the 388-year-old university in its most recent school year, comprising about 27% of its student population.
News18
02-06-2025
- 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.
