Future Queen of Belgium banned from teaching foreign students at Harvard

Princess Elizabeth, the 23-year-old future queen of Belgium, has fallen under a ban on foreign students studying at Harvard, which was imposed the day before by the White House administration.

Reuters writes about this.

The Trump administration on May 22 revoked Harvardʼs permission to admit international students and is forcing those already enrolled to transfer to other institutions or lose their legal status in the United States.

“Princess Elizabeth has just completed her first year of school. The impact of this decision [by the Trump administration] will become clearer in the coming days or weeks. We are currently studying the situation,” said a spokeswoman for the Royal Palace of Belgium Laura Vandoorne.

Elizabeth is studying for a masterʼs degree in public policy at Harvard, a two-year course that, according to the universityʼs website, broadens studentsʼ worldviews and improves their skills for "successful careers in public service".

The princess is heir to the Belgian throne as the eldest of four children of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde. Before Harvard, she earned a degree in history and politics from Oxford University in the United Kingdom.

Harvard called the Trump administrationʼs actions illegal and viewed them as an act of revenge.

What preceded

In March, the US government said it would review $9 billion in funding for Harvard over alleged anti-Semitism, which escalated after student protests against Palestinian rights. A Department of Education task force accused the university of abusing its position and “believing that federal funding does not obligate them to comply with civil rights laws”.

The university was required to limit the influence of activists, create an independent commission to review departments, hire faculty and admit students solely on merit, without regard to race, color, or nationality, and report violations by international students.

Harvard University has rejected the Trump administrationʼs demands and lost $2.2 billion in funding as a result. The university has filed a lawsuit. In the lawsuit, Harvard University said it is committed to combating anti-Semitism and has taken steps to make its campus safe and welcoming for Jewish and Israeli students. It said the administrationʼs actions pose a threat to academic freedom.

In May, the Trump administration canceled another $450 million in grant funding for Harvard University. The university responded by expanding its previous lawsuit.

• In November 2023, more than 1 600 Jewish alumni stopped donating to Harvard University due to anti-Semitism at rallies in support of Palestine.
• In January 2024, Harvard President Claudine Gay resigned amid allegations of plagiarism and a lackluster response to anti-Semitism at the institution.
• That same month, several Jewish students filed a lawsuit against the institution, accusing it of tolerating harassment, assault, and intimidation of students of Jewish origin.

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