Future queen of Belgium, Princess Elisabeth, graduates from Harvard University

King Philippe of Belgium and his wife, Queen Mathildewere in proud parent mode as they traveled to the US for their daughter’s graduation.

The royal couple stood alongside Princess Elisabeth24, in events ahead graduated from the Kennedy School of Harvard University on Wednesday (Thursday AEST), where she completed her masters in public policy.

On the evening of the graduation ceremony, the family met with the school’s dean and the princess attended an awards ceremony for the class of 2026, wearing a white linen two-piece.

Elisabeth, who will become Belgium’s first queen regent – ​​like a queen by birth, not marriage – also posed for a series of photos on campus.

The Duchess of Brabant, as she is also known, showed off some of the places she grew to love during her time in Boston, including coffee shops and libraries.

The royal family chose the prestigious university’s two-year course for a number of reasons.

Not only did it give her some anonymity as she studied before entering royal life, but she also followed in her father’s footsteps by choosing the US for further education.

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King Philippe received his master’s degree in political science from Stanford University in 1985.

The official social media accounts of the Belgian royal family this week shared black-and-white photos of the king’s graduation ceremony ahead of his daughter’s big day.

While studying abroad, Princess Elisabeth received the Fulbright Honorary Award from the United States Department of State in recognition of her academic achievements and exceptional educational background.

Because the Belgian royal family had explicitly stated that it did not want to receive any preferential treatment during its stay in the United States, the award was presented as an honorary prize.

Before arriving at Harvard for her master’s degree, Elisabeth did her undergraduate education at the University of Oxford, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in history and politics from Lincoln College in Oxford.

The future queen has also undergone military training.

Because she wanted to be a regular student during her studies, Elisabeth did not conduct any interviews during her time at Harvard.

There was a time during college when the 24-year-old struggled with uncertainty about completing her degree.

But US President Donald Trump’s international student ban was ultimately blocked by a federal judge, allowing her studies to continue as planned.