The Royal Palace of Brussels has broken its silence following a controversial decision by the Trump administration that could prevent thousands of international students—including Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth—from continuing their studies at Harvard University.
Princess Elisabeth, 23, recently completed her first year of a graduate program at the prestigious U.S. institution and is currently spending the summer in Belgium.
However, a sweeping policy order from President Donald Trump’s administration, already facing a temporary restraining order from a Massachusetts judge, could affect the incoming 2025–2026 class if it moves forward.
Palace Issues Statement on the Princess’s Future
Responding to growing speculation, Xavier Baert, the head of communications for the Belgian royal household, issued a brief but pointed statement: “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,” he said.
“And we’ll have to see what happens next school year,” Baert added.
Who Is Princess Elisabeth?
Elisabeth is the eldest child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium and heir to the throne. She has completed rigorous training at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels, where she studied social and military sciences, and earned a degree in history and politics from Lincoln College, Oxford, in 2024.
She also holds an Honorary Fulbright Award and previously participated in Yale University’s Young Global Scholars Program. Fluent in four languages, Elisabeth is widely regarded as a modern, internationally minded future monarch.
Trump’s Crackdown on Harvard
The situation stems from an April 16 demand by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who ordered Harvard to provide information on foreign students allegedly linked to violent campus protests—a demand the university refused.
President Trump has since accused Harvard of promoting “anti-American values” and has sought to freeze billions of dollars in federal funding. His administration has also moved to revoke the university’s tax-exempt status.
On May 22, the Department of Homeland Security escalated matters by announcing that Harvard would no longer be allowed to enroll international students and that current foreign students would be forced to transfer or risk losing their legal visa status.
The agency claimed, without evidence, that Harvard had enabled an “unsafe environment” by permitting “anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators” to assault Jewish students on campus and accused the institution of collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party.
Harvard and Legal Experts Push Back
Harvard quickly condemned the move in a public statement: “This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission.”
With nearly 6,800 international students enrolled—most of them in graduate programs—Harvard is pushing back with legal challenges, supported by organizations such as the American Association of University Professors.
While the full impact of the administration’s order remains to be seen, royal and academic communities alike are watching closely, particularly in light of what it could mean for high-profile students like Princess Elisabeth.
