Elisabeth Christens Belgica II

25 June 2022

Crown Princess Elisabeth has accepted to become the godmother of Belgium's new Antarctic research vessel "Belgica II". She officially christened the ship in Ghent. This was Elisabeth's very first solo activity!

video: https://www.hln.be/gent/video-voor-het-eerst-in-haar-eentje-prinses-elisabeth-doopt-onderzoeksschip-belgica-in-gent-met-een-goeie-fles~a2656485/

The baptism of the new vessel was supposed to take place in 2020 but got postponed because of the COVID pandemic.

It was Elisabeth's second time to christen a ship. In 2015, at the age of thirteen, she christened the Pollux: as you can see here . At the time she was of course accompanied by her parents.

When the Crown Princess arrived at 16:20 it started raining.

After the christening Elisabeth was given a tour of the ship.

video: https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2022/06/25/prinses-elisabeth-doopt-belgica/

🇧🇪 Brabançonne in de regen.

🌧 Het bleef droog boven Gent tot 16u. Letterlijk bij aankomst van prinses Elisabeth (20) is het beginnen te druppelen, en nu regent het stevig.

🛳 De troonopvolgster doopte hier het onderzoeksschip Belgica. pic.twitter.com/KeQiS6NlWa

— [Wim Dehandschutter] (@WDehandschutter) June 25, 2022

🇧🇪 Princess Elisabeth, who took an exam yesterday at Lincoln College in Oxford, has arrived in Ghent, Belgium.

⛴️ She christens the research vessel Belgica.

👸 Elisabeth undertakes her first royal solo engagement, without joined by her parents King Philippe and Queen Mathilde. pic.twitter.com/txTogFIr1H

— [Wim Dehandschutter] (@WDehandschutter) June 25, 2022

🚨 IMPORTANT DAY FOR PRINCESS ELISABETH

🇧🇪 The heir to the Belgian throne, 20, undertakes her first solo royal engagement, without being accompanied by her parents King Philippe and Queen Mathilde.

⛴️ She christened the research vessel Belgica in Ghent. pic.twitter.com/oxGfgwURW4

— [Wim Dehandschutter] (@WDehandschutter) June 25, 2022

For this special event, Crown Princess Elisabeth wore a Reiss dress, a Fabienne Delvigne hat and purse and her mother's Percossi Papi earrings.