Princess Elisabeth of Belgium shows off her style credentials in a daring Dries Van Noten top in official portraits to mark her 22nd birthday

The Belgian royal family has released two new portraits on the occasion of Princess Elisabeth’s 22nd birthday.

Princess Elisabeth, the eldest daughter of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde and heir to the Belgian throne, is currently studying History and Politics at the University of Oxford.

The 22-year-old royal put on a typically stylish display as she posed in her new portraits. Elisabeth wore an elegant £795 embroidered mesh top by Dries Van Noten with black popper trousers, which was shared on the official X account of the Belgian Royal Palace (formerly called Twitter).

Elisabeth smiled as she looked into the camera photoswho wore a beautiful pair of diamond earrings for the occasion.

She opted for a touch of dark eyeliner on her eyelids and a hint of blush on her cheeks.

In the first portrait, shared by the Belgian household today, the royal family was seen smiling sweetly with her hands tucked into her pockets.

The second image offered a close-up of the royal, with her brunette locks tucked behind one ear to reveal her statement earrings. It is not known where the photos were taken.

The photo was shared on the royal family’s X account with the caption: ‘Princess Elisabeth celebrates her 22nd birthday today!

‘She has just started the final year of her bachelor’s degree in history and politics at Oxford University.’

Princess Elisabeth will ascend the throne after her father. A change in the law ten years ago made it possible for the eldest child, male or female, to ascend the throne in the country. If she takes on the role, she will become the country’s first queen regent.

The 22-year-old recently started her third and final year at the University of Oxford, where she is studying a bachelor’s degree in history and politics.

It is believed that Elisabeth chose the course herself, in consultation with her parents, and reportedly consulted with alumni from various universities and made her decision based on what would be most useful to her in her role as queen later in her life.

According to the Belgian newspaper Le Soir, the princess took a written history entrance exam ‘anonymously’ so that her social status would not affect her grades.

The royal, who is currently studying History and Politics at Oxford University, wore an elegant £795 embroidered mesh top by Dries Van Noten with black trousers.

The young royal was also a former student of Atlantic College in Wales – known as ‘Hippie Hogwarts’ – and completed her International Baccalaureate in 2020.

She then completed a one-year course in social and military sciences at the Royal Military Academy, which would provide in-depth instruction in the four components of Belgian defense: army, air force, navy and medical care.

The Princess, who obtained her International Baccalaureate Diploma in 2020, enrolled at the University of Oxford after completing a one-year course in social and military sciences at the Royal Military Academy.

King Philippe, 63, also spent three years at the esteemed institution between 1978 and 1981.

In October 2021, the Belgian royal family announced that Elisabeth had started her undergraduate degree at Lincoln College, Oxford, and shared photos of her on campus

Elisabeth (right) is the eldest daughter of King Philippe of Belgium (center right), 63, and his wife Queen Mathilde (center left), 50. The couple also share sons Prince Gabriel (far right), 20, and Prince Emmanuel . (left), 18, and daughter Princess Eléonore (far left), 15. In the photo the family together at Christmas

It comes after Princess Elisabeth officially became an officer at the Royal Military Academy last month.

The princess joined the military academy in Brussels in September 2020. Last month she took part in the ceremony of taking the oath as an officer, during which she swore ‘loyalty to the King, obedience to the Constitution and the laws of the Belgian people’.

In footage of the event, the princess appeared serious as she took part in the ceremony – marching and saluting to the king alongside her comrades from the 160th Promotion of Social and Military Sciences.

It is not known how long Elisabeth plans to stay at the academy, but her father, King Philippe, studied there for three years as a teenager.

Photos from the event show the 22-year-old in a crisp blue military uniform, sweeping her hair back from her face into a low ponytail for the occasion.

She then joined her family to pose for photos, where she stood proudly beaming next to her father, the king.