Future of Belgian Crown Princess Elisabeth’s Harvard Education Uncertain Amid U.S. Visa Ban for Foreign Students
Brussels, The Gulf Observer: The academic future of Belgium’s Crown Princess Elisabeth hangs in the balance after the Trump administration revoked permission for international students to continue their studies at U.S. universities, including Harvard. The move has cast uncertainty over the 23-year-old royal’s Master’s degree in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School, where she has just completed her first year.
The decision came after Harvard reportedly refused to comply with a federal request to disclose possible involvement of its students in anti-war protests related to the Gaza conflict. As a result, all foreign students—Princess Elisabeth among them—have been barred from continuing studies at the university.
“We are currently examining the situation,” said Xavier Baert, Communications Director for the Belgian Royal Palace, in a statement to The Brussels Times. “There are still a number of uncertainties, and we are taking our time to see how things will develop in the coming days and weeks.”
Despite the disruption, Elisabeth is expected to return to Belgium for the National Day celebrations on 21 July, and she is set to undertake a seven-week summer internship, suggesting that Harvard may still hold out hope for a policy reversal.
The situation presents three possible scenarios, according to royal expert Wim Dehandschutter:
- No Reversal by Trump: Should the U.S. president maintain the current ban, questions will arise regarding the recognition of Elisabeth’s completed first year. It remains unclear whether she would receive a formal certificate and be able to transfer her credits to another institution — potentially in Belgium or the UK.
- Elite Exception: There is speculation that Trump could carve out exceptions for royal or elite students. However, Dehandschutter believes the Belgian Royal Family is unlikely to accept such preferential treatment. “It would send a troubling signal if a future monarch benefitted from privileges denied to ordinary people,” he noted.
- Policy Reversal: Trump, known for backtracking under pressure, could yet withdraw the decision. While this would allow Elisabeth to return to Harvard for her final year, it would not erase what has been a tumultuous period for the princess and Harvard’s global academic standing.
Elisabeth, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in History and Politics from Oxford, was also selected for an Honorary Fulbright Award — a rare recognition from the U.S. State Department’s international education exchange program. Her inclusion underscores her strong academic standing and symbolic significance.
In the event that Harvard remains off-limits, other options may include continuing her studies in the UK, or in Belgium — although the latter presents unique political sensitivities. “In Belgium, the choice of university — whether Dutch- or French-speaking, Catholic or secular — carries deep symbolic weight,” Dehandschutter explained.
Given those complications, studying abroad remains the most neutral and diplomatic path forward for the future queen.
For now, both the Royal Palace and Harvard remain silent on next steps. The world watches closely, as one of Europe’s most promising young royals faces a defining moment in her education and public life.
