Harvard Student Princess Elisabeth of Belgium Puts Her Education "To The Test" in Important Queenship Lesson

Princess Elisabeth sitting in a chair wearing a blue dress talking to a group of men and women

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Princess Elisabeth, 24, will be heading back to Boston soon as she finishes her two-year master's degree program at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. But in the meantime, royal duties await.

Elisabeth, who is the eldest child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, joined her father to meet with European Union leaders on Tuesday, January 13. Wearing a long-sleeved navy dress by Giorgio Armani paired with pearl studs, sheer black tights and black pumps, the princess—also known as the Duchess of Brabant—experienced a taste of her future life as queen.

Meeting with Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot as well as European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Princess Elisabeth was able to use her public policy education into real-world practice.

Princess Elisabeth wearing a blue dress talking to a woman sitting in a chair — Princess Elisabeth interacted with EU leaders at the meeting on January 13.

Princess Elisabeth and King Philippe with world leaders sitting in chairs at the royal palace — Princess Elisabeth and King Philippe hosted the event at the Royal Palace in Brussels.

Speaking to Hello!, Belgian journalist Wim Dehandschutter said that Elisabeth's appearance at the meeting "was not only symbolic but also educational."

"The princess closely follows international current affairs for her studies," he added. "The audience was a unique opportunity to combine theory and practice. Today, she was able to put what she learns in the Harvard classrooms to the test in reality."

She'll have another opportunity to practice her diplomacy when she attends a NATO event on January 15, with Dehandschutter adding that Elisabeth is "shifting her preparation" for the throne "into a higher gear, with a more political focus."

After graduation in May, Princess Elisabeth is expected to "take up her active role in the royal family," the Belgian royal expert said. The future queen will also turn 25 this fall, with Dehandschutter noting that it will hail "a symbolic age that marks her new status within the monarchy."

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.