Did Princess Elisabeth of Belgium use her royal title at Harvard graduation?

Princess Elisabeth of Belgium has graduated from a two-year master's degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School – but royal fans have been curious which moniker she used to receive her diploma.

A new video has revealed that Princess Elisabeth did not use her royal title at the graduation ceremony, and was instead called up to receive her diploma with the name "Elisabeth de Saxe-Cobourg".

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Journalist Wim Dehandschutter shared a video of the moment on social media. The decision to use the French family name also meant that Elisabeth was called up much earlier, rather than if she had used the Dutch family name, "van Saksen-Coburg."

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde's daughter was joined by her proud parents at the ceremony, for which the 24-year-old opted for a white summer dress by The Kooples, underneath the traditional black and red cap and gown.

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The day before, Elizabeth attended the Harvard Kennedy School Awards Ceremony in a Maje Paris silk dress covered with delicate red flowers, which she paired with heels from the same designer and a 'Small Lady Dior Bag' from Dior in a deep burgundy color.

The royal began her two-year master's degree in public policy in September 2024 after studying history and politics at Lincoln College, Oxford, in the UK.

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Post-Harvard, the Crown Princess will reportedly undertake a sailing trip across the Atlantic Ocean as part of a gap year, according to Belgian outlet Het Nieuwsblad. The planned route would take her from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean during late 2026, outside of hurricane season.

Sailing instructor Piet Smet described the journey to the Belgian news agency: "It remains an adventure; nature plays with you. It requires character. I tell all my friends’ children: do it, it is a great experience, it commands respect."

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Over the last few months, Elisabeth has been taking small steps in her training to become queen, including joining her father, King Philippe, at an audience of European Union leaders. 

The audience at the royal palace included European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot.

"Her participation was not only symbolic but also educational," Belgian royal journalist Wim Dehandschutter told HELLO!. "The Princess closely follows international current affairs for her studies. The audience was a unique opportunity to combine theory and practice. Today, she was able to put what she learns in the Harvard classrooms to the test in reality."

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Elisabeth's public popularity is "unprecedented" in the royal family's recent history, said Wim, which marks a similar tone across other European royal families; Prince William and Princess Kate have an overwhelming  76% and 75% approval rating, respectively, in the UK, according to YouGov.

Elisabeth is also leaning on other future European queens, namely ~Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, and Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, who formed an exclusive WhatsApp chat to talk and offer advice.