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Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant

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For the consort of Albert I, who was also Princess of Belgium, see Elisabeth Gabriele of Bavaria.

Elisabeth
Duchess of Brabant
Elisabeth in 2014.
Born (2001-10-25) 25 October 2001 (age 22)
Erasmus Hospital, Anderlecht, Belgium
Names
French: Élisabeth Thérèse Marie Hélène
Dutch: Elisabeth Theresia Maria Helena
HouseSaxe-Coburg and Gotha
FatherPhilippe of Belgium
MotherMathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz
ReligionRoman Catholic

Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant (French: Élisabeth Thérèse Marie Hélène; Dutch: Elisabeth Theresia Maria Helena; born 25 October 2001), is the heir apparent to the Belgian throne. The eldest child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, she acquired her position after her grandfather King Albert II abdicated in favour of her father on 21 July 2013.[1]

Birth and baptism

The first child of the then Duke and Duchess of Brabant, Elisabeth was delivered by caesarian section at 9:58 pm at the Hôpital Erasme (Erasmus Hospital) in Anderlecht, Brussels.[citation needed] She was baptized on 9 December 2001 in the chapel of Ciergnon Castle in the Belgian Ardennes, by Cardinal Godfried Danneels, the Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels. Her godparents are Archduke Amedeo of Austria-Este (paternal cousin), and Countess Hélène d'Udekem d'Acoz (maternal aunt).

She has two younger brothers, Prince Gabriel and Prince Emmanuel, and a younger sister, Princess Eléonore.

Life and education

Princess Elisabeth is currently a student at Sint-Jan Berchmanscollege in the Marollen district of Brussels, which was attended previously by her older cousins, the children of her paternal aunt, the Archduchess of Austria-Este. This is a significant change in the habits of the royal family, as it is the first time that a future Belgian monarch's education has begun in Dutch. Elisabeth also attends dance classes conducted in Dutch at the Municipal Music Academy in Asse, in Flemish Brabant.[citation needed] Elisabeth speaks Dutch, French and German.[2]

In 2006, she attended the Te Deum in honour of Belgian National Day. In 2007, she accompanied her father to the opening of Technopolis, a science museum.[3][4] She also attended the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition and the presentation at the Royal Palace of a model of the Belgian Antarctic station which bears her name, Princess Elisabeth Antarctica.[5]

She was a bridesmaid to the weddings of her maternal aunts: Elisabeth, when she married Margrave Alfonso Pallavicini in 2006[6] and Hélène (also her godmother), when she married to Baron Nicolas Janssen in 2011.[7] In 2014, she was a bridesmaid at the wedding of her cousin and godfather, Prince Amedeo.[8]

On 21 July 2013, once her father had taken the oath of office as King of the Belgians (his father, King Albert II, having abdicated shortly before), Princess Elisabeth became heir apparent to the throne and as such bears the title of Duchess of Brabant.[9]

In October 2014, Elisabeth gave a speech in honour of the First World War commemoration. On 6 May 2015, Elisabeth made a speech before christening a ship Pollux.

Position

Ten years prior to Elisabeth's birth, a new act of succession was put into effect which introduced absolute primogeniture, meaning that Elisabeth comes first in the line of succession because she is the eldest child. If she ascends the throne as expected, she will be Belgium's first queen regnant.

Styles and titles

  • 25 October 2001 – 21 July 2013: Her Royal Highness Princess Elisabeth of Belgium
  • 21 July 2013 – present: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Brabant

Though the eldest son of an heir apparent was traditionally titled Count of Hainaut, Elisabeth was not granted the title by royal decree following her birth. Instead the title was abolished, as French "Hainaut" was not considered linguistically neutral for the title to be conferred on her as the Countess of Hainaut suo jure.

Coat of arms

Coat of arms of Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant
Notes
According to Gustaaf Janssens, Archivist of the Royal Palace, Princess Elisabeth's coat of arms consist
of the gold lion on a black background on a lozenge ensigned with the royal crown.
Escutcheon
Sable a lion rampant Or armed and langued Gules.
French : De sable au lion d'or armé et lampassé de gueules

Ancestry

Family of Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant
16. Albert I of Belgium
8. Leopold III of Belgium
17. Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria
4. Albert II of Belgium
18. Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland
9. Princess Astrid of Sweden
19. Princess Ingeborg of Denmark
2. Philippe of Belgium
20. Fulco VII Beniamino Tristano, Ruffo di Calabria
10. Fulco VIII, Prince of Ruffo di Calabria
21. Laura Mosselman du Chenoy
5. Donna Paola dei Principi Ruffo di Calabria
22. Augusto Gazelli, Conte di Rossana e di Sebastiano
11. Donna Luisa Gazelli dei Conti di Rossana e di Sebastiano
23. Donna Maria Cristina dei Conti Rignon
1. Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant
24. Baron Maximilien d'Udekem d'Acoz
12. Baron Charles d'Udekem d'Acoz
25. Maria van Eyll
6. Count Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz
26. Jonkheer Clément van Outryve d'Ydewalle
13. Jonkvrouw Suzanne van Outryve d'Ydewalle
27. Jonkvrouw Madeleine de Thibault de Boesinghe
3. Countess Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz
28. Count Michel Komorowski
14. Count Léon-Michel Komorowski
29. Maria Zaborowska
7. Countess Anna Maria Komorowska
30. Prince Adam Zygmunt Sapieha
15. Princess Zofia Sapieha
31. Countess Teresa Sobanska

References

  1. ^ Belgium's King Albert II gives up throne to son
  2. ^ "Remarquable: la princesse Elisabeth s'exprime parfaitement dans les trois langues nationales (vidéo)". Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  3. ^ Princess Elisabeth of Belgium enjoys herself at science museum at The Insider
  4. ^ Elisabeth does a Bob the Builder at science museum
  5. ^ Belgian Antarctic Research Station – Princess Elisabeth Station: – First zero emission station
  6. ^ "Elisabeth en Gabriel bruidskinderen". Royalblog. July 2006.
  7. ^ "Mariage de la comtesse Hélène d'Udekem d'Acoz et du baron Nicolas Janssen". Noblesse&Royautes. 12 June 2011.
  8. ^ "Belgium's Prince Amedeo marries Elisabetta Rosboch von Wolkenstein in Rome". Hello Magazine. 6 July 2014.
  9. ^ Text in French of the 2001 amendment: « Le titre de Duc de Brabant ou de Duchesse de Brabant sera toujours porté, à l'avenir, par le Prince ou la Princesse, fils aîné ou fille aînée du Roi, et, à défaut, par le Prince ou la Princesse, fils aîné ou fille aînée du fils aîné ou de la fille aînée du Roi. »
Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant
Born: 25 October 2001
Lines of succession
First
 Line of succession to the Belgian throne Succeeded by
Belgian royalty
Preceded by Duchess of Brabant
2013–present 		Incumbent
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