Donald Trump's battle with Harvard could have some very royal collateral

Washington D.C.: Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, the 23-year-old heir to the throne, may face obstacles continuing her master’s degree at Harvard due to the Trump administration’s recent ban on international student enrollment at the Ivy League school. The Duchess of Brabant, who holds an undergraduate degree in history and politics from Oxford, is currently studying public policy at Harvard.

The Belgian Royal Palace confirmed they are assessing the situation. “Princess Elisabeth has just completed her first year. The impact of this decision will only become clearer in the coming days and weeks,” spokesperson Lore Vandoorne told Reuters.

Harvard has sued the administration, calling the ban unlawful and warning it would disrupt university operations, where 25% of students are international. The Belgian Royal Palace’s communication director, Xavier Baert, stated they will “let things settle,” noting that circumstances could change.

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The move against Harvard is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to pressure the university to comply with federal demands, particularly after Harvard rejected requests for records on foreign students and campus protests.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused Harvard of “fostering violence, antisemitism, and collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party,” and revoked the university’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, effectively barring it from enrolling new international students and forcing current foreign students to transfer or risk losing their legal status.

Harvard, which has nearly 6,800 international students, has called the move retaliatory and unlawful, and is seeking a court order to block the ban.

Inside the Belgian royal family

The Belgian royal family, known as the House of Belgium, traces its origins to King Leopold I, who became the country’s first monarch in 1831 after Belgium’s independence from the Netherlands.

The monarchy plays a symbolic role in a country marked by linguistic and cultural diversity. Princess Elisabeth, born in 2001, is the eldest child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde and has held the title of Duchess of Brabant since 2013, making her first in line to the throne. She is poised to become Belgium’s first queen regnant.