Astrid Leaves Trade Missions: On To Mathilde & Elisabeth

11 December 2025

Tonight the Royal Palace has announced that Princess Astrid will no longer be leading the Belgian trade missions abroad, a job's she's done wholeheartedly and successfully for the past 12 years.

It's Queen Mathilde who will temporarily take her place, until the time comes when Princess Elisabeth (24) can step in and take over. Elisabeth is finishing her master's degree in Public Policy at Harvard (USA) in the late spring of 2026. I expect this to be her official debute as a working member of the royal family.

Princess Astrid is stepping down for health reasons, on doctors' advice. She will however continue her other official actrivities. No medical details were shared.

There are two major foreign trade missions each year.

Turkey (10-14 May 2026) and Saudi Arabia (21-27 November 2026) are next on the agenda.