() The future queen of Belgium, 23-year-old Princess Elisabeth, just completed her first year at Harvard University, but it could soon come to an end.
With President Donald Trump wanting to ban foreign students from studying at the Ivy League, her studies could be affected. On Thursday, the administration revoked Harvard University’s ability to have international students. However, on Friday, a judge blocked that ruling.
If this ban goes through, it would force any current international students to either transfer to another school or lose legal status in the United States. This ban could also extend to other colleges.
Belgian royal palace ‘investigating the situation’: Spokesperson
According to The Guardian, the spokesperson for the Belgian royal palace, Lore Vandoorne, said, “Princess Elisabeth has just completed her first year. The impact of [the Trump administration’s] decision will only become clearer in the coming days/weeks. We are currently investigating the situation.”
Then, the communication director for the palace, Xavier Baert, said, “We are analysing this at the moment and will let things settle. A lot can still happen in the coming days and weeks.”
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LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – MAY 05: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 24 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Crown Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant and King Philippe of Belgium attend a reception at Buckingham Palace for overseas guests ahead of the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 5, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images) -
GHENT, BELGIUM – DECEMBER 20: Her Royal Highness Princess Elisabeth Of Belgium, Duchess of Brabant, visits the Princess Elisabeth Children’s Hospital on December 20, 2023 in Ghent, Belgium. (Photo by Geert Vanden Wijngaert/Getty Images) -
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – SEPTEMBER 26: Her Royal Highness Princess Elisabeth of Belgium poses for photographers as she attends the swearing-in ceremony at the Royal Military Academy on September 26, 2023 in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo by Geert Vanden Wijngaert/Getty Images) -
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – DECEMBER 20:Princess Elisabeth of Belgium poses in front of the Christmas tree after the annual Christmas concert at the Royal Palace on December 20, 2022 in Brussels, Belgium. King Philippe and Queen Mathilde would like to express their special thanks to those who contributed to the smooth running of their activities in 2022. (Photo by Olivier Matthys/Getty Images) -
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – DECEMBER 19: (L-R) Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Prince Emmanuel of Belgium and Princess Elisabeth of Belgium host a reception for one hundred members of the public during the festive season at the Royal Palace on December 19, 2023 in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo by Geert Vanden Wijngaert/Getty Images) -
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – JULY 21: King Philippe of Belgium, Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, Prince Gabriel of Belgium, Princess Eleonore of Belgium and Princes Emmanuel of Belgium attend the Te Deum mass at the Cathedral at National Day on July 21, 2022 in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo by Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images) -
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – JULY 21: Princess Elisabeth of Belgium attends the Te Deum which takes place on the occasion of the National Day in the Cathedral of Saints Michel-et-Gudule on July 21, 2020 in Brussels, Belgium. The Belgian National Day marks the day that King Leopold I of Saxen-Coburg-Saalfeld took the oath as first king of the Belgians in 1831. (Photo by Olivier Matthys/Getty Images) -
Belgium’s Royal Family, from left, Princess Eleonore, Prince Gabriel, Belgium’s Queen Mathilde, Belgium’s King Philippe, Crown Princess Elisabeth and Prince Emmanuel attend a religious service at the St. Gudula cathedral in Brussels, Wednesday, July 21, 2021. Belgium celebrates its National Day on Wednesday in a scaled down version due to coronavirus, COVID-19 measures. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys)
Elisabeth is currently studying public policy at Harvard, which is a two-year master’s program. The Guardian reported that she is the heir to the Belgian throne since she is the oldest child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde. Before she went to Harvard, she earned a degree in history and politics from the University of Oxford in England.
Harvard files a lawsuit against the Trump administration
On Friday, Harvard filed a lawsuit in federal court in Boston against the Trump administration’s ban. Harvard states that the government’s action would violate the First Amendment and have an “immediate and devastating effect for Harvard and more than 7,000 visa holders.”
“With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body, international students who contribute significantly to the University and its mission. Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard,” the university’s statement said.
Judge blocks Trump’s ban on Harvard accepting international students
Following the lawsuit, a federal judge blocked Trump’s attempt to ban those students. Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson, told , “The American people elected President Trump, not random local judges with their own liberal agenda, to run the country.”
She also said, “These unelected judges have no right to stop the Trump Administration from exercising their rightful control over immigration policy and national security policy.”
The move would block thousands of students who go to Harvard University for summer and fall classes. Harvard is also concerned about it putting the school at a disadvantage because even if the ban isn’t upheld, “future applicants may shy away from applying out of fear of further reprisals from the government,” the lawsuit said.
Harvard would also allegedly be unable to offer admission to new international students for at least two academic years. If a school loses its certification from the federal government, then it would not be able to reapply for one year.
