SUPPORT OUR JOURNALISM: Please consider donating to keep our website running and free for all - thank you!

Belgium

Princess Elisabeth listens attentively as she accompanies her parents at roundtable on Ukrainian crisis

King Philippe, Queen Mathilde and Princess Elisabeth held a roundtable discussion about the Ukrainian crisis. 

The talks were held with four representatives of the academic world and were centred around the origins of the conflict and its potential ramifications, according to the Royal Palace’s website. 

The Duchess of Brabant will have undoubtedly listened to the discussion with interest, as she is a student of Oxford University’s history and politics course. 

The talks were held as the situation in Ukraine seems to be worsening because of the military stalemate. Besieged cities like Mariupol are running out of food and water reserves, and humanitarian convoys are being blocked from entering the city. 

Meanwhile, the Russian troops seem to be experiencing some difficulties keeping consistent supply lines to their own forces and maintaining control of some small towns. 

All of this is causing an unprecedented refugee crisis, with an estimated three million people having already fled Ukraine towards Europe in the first three weeks alone. 

The rest of the globe is feeling the crisis both because of the sudden spike in energy prices and because of looming food insecurity, with Ukraine being Europe’s biggest wheat producer and exporter. 

It is safe to assume that all of these topics were discussed during the roundtable, and, from the pictures released of the event, it seems evident that Princess Elisabeth valued the discussion, not only as a student but also as the future Queen of the Belgians. 

The heir to the throne is currently back home from Oxford and is enjoying her three-week break between terms while also fulfilling some of her institutional duties. 

On Sunday, she accompanied her father in a visit to the site of a tragic car accident that killed six people and injured about 30. 

When the Royal Palace announced that the Princess had been admitted at Oxford, they also stated that she would keep undertaking some royal engagements, which, so far, have been scheduled around her duties as a university student.