P. Elisabeth, P. Gabriël, P. Emmanuel and P. Eléonore - News and Pictures Part 3


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The English Wikipedia says that Philippe was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold only in 1990 when he was already about 30 years old.



If the same pattern applies to Princess Elisabeth, the chances of her getting a Belgian order on her 18th birthday or anytime soon are close to none. In any case, it is a decision that doesn't depend on the King alone. I believe any Royal Decree awarding orders in Belgium has to be countersigned (thus approved) by Belgian ministers.

My dream (they rarely come true when it comes to the Belgian Royal Family) is for a commemorative photo for her 18th birthday with a dress, tiara and order. But alas, I think she will receive when only when she'll start her life as a working royal, attending galas and state banquets.
 
The English Wikipedia says that Philippe was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold only in 1990 when he was already about 30 years old.



If the same pattern applies to Princess Elisabeth, the chances of her getting a Belgian order on her 18th birthday or anytime soon are close to none. In any case, it is a decision that doesn't depend on the King alone. I believe any Royal Decree awarding orders in Belgium has to be countersigned (thus approved) by Belgian ministers.

I think the difference is that Philippe was the heir's heir, while Elisabeth is the direct heir to her father, so she might get the orders first, specially if she starts attending galas or state dinners (not out of the realm of possibility, maybe when she's in her 20s, which will start in 2 years).
 
My dream (they rarely come true when it comes to the Belgian Royal Family) is for a commemorative photo for her 18th birthday with a dress, tiara and order. But alas, I think she will receive when only when she'll start her life as a working royal, attending galas and state banquets.

I know it won't include an Order, but a formal portrait of Princess Elisabeth in a tiara to mark her 18th birthday would be fantastic!?
 
:previous: I can see the resemblance, too. Emmanuel is a Saxe-Coburg (although I hope not [too much] in character).
 
I see the resemblance too - there are some strong genes in the Belgian RF!
 
Emmanuel does look like a mini-Philippe and well, Philippe is Albert's son, the genes are quite strong in this family :D
 
Date of photo taken says July 21, 2019 so it is in any case a more recent picture.
He is really growing towards adulthood.
 
He's a handsome boy....Happy Birthday Prince Gabriel!:flowers:
 
Gabriel is growing up to be very handsome! I don't really know who he looks like out of his parents as I can see both of them in him. I hope he had a lovely birthday.
 
No More Hockey for Gabriel
Prince Gabriel (16) is no longer a team member of Royal Evere White Star Hockey Club, Belgian media reports.

The prince who's second in line to the throne, after his sister crown princess Elisabeth, is said to be to busy with school and his other hobbies.
Queen Mathilde: No More Hockey for Gabriel
 
No More Hockey for Gabriel
Prince Gabriel (16) is no longer a team member of Royal Evere White Star Hockey Club, Belgian media reports.

The prince who's second in line to the throne, after his sister crown princess Elisabeth, is said to be to busy with school and his other hobbies.
Queen Mathilde: No More Hockey for Gabriel

I wonder if his frequent injuries (he broke his legs twice in the last 12 months) are the reason behind it.
 
:previous: This is a sad news but I hope he gets back playing hockey when the time gets less busy.

It could also be a reason though. He had an injury just a month ago. It was obvious during the 2019 Belgian National Day, was that due to an accident while playing too?
 
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Interesting; I wonder what prompted the move. I hope Gabriel enjoys his new school.

Probably improving his English skills and possibly preparing for university study overseas ( maybe in England or the US) ?
 
Probably improving his English skills and possibly preparing for university study overseas ( maybe in England or the US) ?

I have read in Belgian media that probably he will go to the World Atlantic College in Wales as well, where his sister is now.
 
I have read in Belgian media that probably he will go to the World Atlantic College in Wales as well, where his sister is now.

I don't think he changed school only to change again a year later. Maybe going to Wales was the initial plan but he wasn't accepted (I think there is some sort of selection) so plan B diverted him to Brussels.

I think the decision of both Elisabeth and Gabriel of studying for an International Baccalaureate is extremely wise. Their diploma will be spendable everywhere in the world and it is going to strengthen their English so that they will be ready if and when they want to study (and/or work, in Gabriel's case) abroad.
No negative reports should accompany such a decision: they will be prominent people in the future and it is normal that they receive the best education possible (and that usually doesn't come for free). I never understood the criticism behind Ingrid Alexandra's choice of school...
 
:previous: I think IA's school was critiqued because I remember reading that it was rather ground-breaking when it was first announced that she would be going to a public primary/elementary school and then secondary rather than a private one. I also seem to recall that the NRF was pretty reserved during Olav V's reign and previously, which could be another factor to the criticisms considering that such a choice of schooling perhaps wouldn't have happened in the past. I could be wrong on this one though, since I'm not Norwegian myself. Personally, I'm against the private system having had bad experiences with it when I was at school, so I'm all for royal children attending mainstream public/state schools and I wish that the Cambridge children could have gone to one here in the UK (though I know that'll never happen). They're only in a certain bubble of society at a private school.

I agree though that it's good Elisabeth and Gabriel are taking the IB, it'll be very beneficial.
 
:previous: I think IA's school was critiqued because I remember reading that it was rather ground-breaking when it was first announced that she would be going to a public primary/elementary school and then secondary rather than a private one. I also seem to recall that the NRF was pretty reserved during Olav V's reign and previously, which could be another factor to the criticisms considering that such a choice of schooling perhaps wouldn't have happened in the past. I could be wrong on this one though, since I'm not Norwegian myself. Personally, I'm against the private system having had bad experiences with it when I was at school, so I'm all for royal children attending mainstream public/state schools and I wish that the Cambridge children could have gone to one here in the UK (though I know that'll never happen). They're only in a certain bubble of society at a private school.

I agree though that it's good Elisabeth and Gabriel are taking the IB, it'll be very beneficial.




My understanding is that the UK is quite different in that respect. In continental Europe and even in the US/Canada, most kids go to state schools ("public schools" in US lingo), whereas , in the UK, it is customary for upper class or even upper middle class children to go to private schools. Furthermore, at the upper secondary school level (the equivalent to "sixth form", "A levels" or IB in the UK), England actually has, by OECD standards, an unusually high percentage of school establishments that are private. My understanding is that, at least in the past, "working class" kids in the UK left school before the upper secondary level or went instead to vocational schools, so the pre-university track in the 16-18 age bracket was pretty much a middle-class/ upper middle-class thing.



Anyway, I don't know if that is accurate anymore, but the point I am getting at is that the Cambridge kids going to a private school is not considered unusual or controversial in the UK, because, within British society, that is what is expected not only of them, but actually of most kids born in wealthy families. That wouldn't be necessarily the case again in other European countries for example.
 
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Private schools are not at all uncommon in the UK and tbh it would be much more of a statement for them not to send their children to a private school.

That said there are different levels of private schools. I work in one which is not a top private school with school sees in the £20,000+ range, we have a real mix of pupils from families who scrimp and save to afford for their children to attend, to those who have 3 or 4 children in school and don't bat an eyelid at the cost.

I would say if you attended our school you would see plenty mix of class of people, from my own experiences I know we have children who live in 6+ bedroom houses set in acres of land and children who live in pretty normal semi-detached houses with small gardens.

In fairness you wouldn't come across children from very poor families or deprived areas (thought to be fair there are lots of scholarships and bursaries being introduced so this is changing) but I would argue in a number of state schools the same would be true.

I imagine IF W&K sent their children to a state school it would be in such a well off area it would practically be similar in many ways to a middle of the road Private School.
 
I never understood the criticism behind Ingrid Alexandra's choice of school...

:previous: I think IA's school was critiqued because I remember reading that it was rather ground-breaking when it was first announced that she would be going to a public primary/elementary school and then secondary rather than a private one. I also seem to recall that the NRF was pretty reserved during Olav V's reign and previously, which could be another factor to the criticisms considering that such a choice of schooling perhaps wouldn't have happened in the past. I could be wrong on this one though, since I'm not Norwegian myself.

I agree. I am no expert, but it appears there are substantial cultural differences between Norway and Belgium which are relevant to the way in which their monarchies conduct themselves, with egalitarianism being highly prized in Norway whereas Belgium seems satisfied to have a connected and privileged aristocracy. Note that Norwegian royals since the mid-twentieth century have consistently married members of families without aristocratic roots, including those from the middle class, while Belgian royals have generally married members of families with roots in the aristocracy or at least the upper class.
 
Probably improving his English skills and possibly preparing for university study overseas ( maybe in England or the US) ?

It looks like his is preparing himself for IB. Whether that will be at the International School of Brussels or in Wales like his older sister remains to be seen. I wonder whether it has been harder for Elisabeth than expected (because of the English language) and whether that would be a reason to expose Gabriel one year earlier to an English language school.
 
I agree. I am no expert, but it appears there are substantial cultural differences between Norway and Belgium which are relevant to the way in which their monarchies conduct themselves, with egalitarianism being highly prized in Norway whereas Belgium seems satisfied to have a connected and privileged aristocracy. Note that Norwegian royals since the mid-twentieth century have consistently married members of families without aristocratic roots, including those from the middle class, while Belgian royals have generally married members of families with roots in the aristocracy or at least the upper class.

I agree that there are substantial differences. Nonetheless, this couple was praised for sending the children to a Dutch-language school; so, this move might not be seen in a positive light by many. One of the Belgian articles I read specifically mentioned the school as being 'elite' (which was clearly not an endorsement for this choice).
 
No negative reports should accompany such a decision: they will be prominent people in the future and it is normal that they receive the best education possible (and that usually doesn't come for free). I never understood the criticism behind Ingrid Alexandra's choice of school...

I am not so sure that the international school provides a better education than the school they have been attending so far, which is considered one of the best/better public schools in the country if I am not mistaken. In general, private schools are less common and not necessarily much better than other schools in terms of educational quality. The main difference is most likely the type of students (only affluent people can afford sending their children to these schools; which many times creates a very specific - not always academically challenging - subculture).
 
My understanding is that the UK is quite different in that respect. In continental Europe and even in the US/Canada, most kids go to state schools ("public schools" in US lingo), whereas , in the UK, it is customary for upper class or even upper middle class children to go to private schools. Furthermore, at the upper secondary school level (the equivalent to "sixth form", "A levels" or IB in the UK), England actually has, by OECD standards, an unusually high percentage of school establishments that are private. My understanding is that, at least in the past, "working class" kids in the UK left school before the upper secondary level or went instead to vocational schools, so the pre-university track in the 16-18 age bracket was pretty much a middle-class/ upper middle-class thing.



Anyway, I don't know if that is accurate anymore, but the point I am getting at is that the Cambridge kids going to a private school is not considered unusual or controversial in the UK, because, within British society, that is what is expected not only of them, but actually of most kids born in wealthy families. That wouldn't be necessarily the case again in other European countries for example.



Yes, as a Brit I’m fully aware of all that, hence why I mentioned in brackets that it wouldn’t happen, to avoid a lengthy debate and discussion that would derail this thread from its actual topic.
 
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