5 hours ago
Last Updated:May 24, 2025, 07:59 IST
A US judge temporarily blocked the Trump admin's attempt to strip Harvard of its ability to enrol foreign students on Friday, providing a temporary relief to the affected students.
Princess Elisabeth, the 23-year-old future queen of Belgium | Reuters Image
Princess Elisabeth, the 23-year-old heir to the Belgian throne, has just completed her first year at Harvard University, but a ban imposed by US President Donald Trump’s administration on foreign students could threaten her ability to continue her studies.
On Thursday, the Trump administration revoked Harvard University’s ability to enrol international students, ordering current foreign students to transfer to other institutions or risk losing their legal status in the US.
“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," the Belgian Royal Palace’s spokesperson Lore Vandoorne said.
“We are analysing this at the moment and will let things settle. A lot can still happen in the coming days and weeks," the Palace’s communication director, Xavier Baert, added.
Princess Elisabeth is studying Public Policy at Harvard in a two-year master’s program that, according to the university’s website, broadens students’ perspectives and sharpens their skills for “a successful career in public service."
The princess is heir to the Belgian throne, as the eldest of four children born to King Philippe and Queen Mathilde. Before attending Harvard, she earned a degree in history and politics from the UK’s Oxford University.
Harvard stated on Thursday that the Trump administration’s move — which affects thousands of students — was illegal and amounted to retaliation.
Temporary Relief
A US judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to strip Harvard University of its ability to enrol foreign students on Friday — a policy the Ivy League institution argued was part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to punish it for refusing to “surrender its academic independence."
The order offers temporary protection to thousands of international students threatened with forced transfers under a policy that Harvard University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, described as a clear breach of the US Constitution and federal law.
The university warned that the policy would cause immediate and serious harm to both itself and over 7,000 visa-holding students.
Location :United States of America (USA)
First Published:News world In Trump Vs Harvard, Belgium's Future Queen Among Thousands Facing Risk Of Transfer
