Princess Elisabeth Looked Sophisticated in Short Hair at Prince Gabriel's Blue Caps Parade

Princess Elisabeth, the Duchess of Brabant, joined her parents, King Philippe of the Belgians, and Queen Mathilde at her younger brother, Prince Gabriel's Blue Caps Parade Ceremony at the Royal Military Academy.

The future Belgian Queen delighted fans with her new haircut, styling her blonde hair into short locks, looking ultra-sophisticated 😍. She also wore an elegant plaid coat dress and a pair of burgundy suede pumps from Jimmy Choo. 

The Duchess of Brabant, who will turn 21 this coming October 25, is one of the young royals in Europe to watch out for an emerging royal fashion. She's slowly coming out as a natural beauty with a unique taste in fashion, favoring knee-length dresses and hand-me-down accessories from her mother.

From left: Prince Gabriel, Queen Mathilde, King Philippe, and Princess Elisabeth 

Royal fans are also stunned to see the princess cut her usual long locks into shoulder-length style. Ever since she was a little girl, she always had long, wavy hair. Her new hairstyle is a major departure from her demure years. But it's good to see her developing her own freedom in style and fashion choices.

From left: Prince Gabriel, Queen Mathilde, King Philippe, Princess Elisabeth

Prince Gabriel Completed his military training

Prince Gabriel of Belgium, 19, just completed his five-week military training at the Royal Military Academy. He completed his military initiation initiative phase at Elsenborn Camp and had a blue cap ceremony on the 29th day of September.

At the Blue Caps Parade, he received a blue beret from his father, King Philippe, the Commander-in-Chief of the Belgian Armed Forces. The blue beret is a "testimony to the success of the Royal Military Academy student officers at the Military Initiation Phase after 5 weeks of intensive training", according to the Belgian Royal Palace.

Prince Gabriel of Belgium

His Majesty King Philippe handed the blue beret to his son and the members of Prince Gabriel's platoon in the presence of Queen Mathilde and Princess Elisabeth. Prince Gabriel's training was the same military training that his older sister underwent in 2020.

One of the proudest moments of monarchs as parents is to see their sons joined the military. In the past, all sons and grandsons of the Sovereign were expected to serve in the military because they were tasked to defend the kingdom in case of wars or invasion, today, only few princes took a career in the military. 

Proudest papa moment: King Philippe handed a blue beret to his son, Prince Gabriel

During his training, Prince Gabriel was known as Gabriel van Saxe-Coburg, their original family name. The same family name of the British royals until July 1917 when King George V changed it to Windsor. 

The first monarch of the Kingdom of Belgium was King Leopold I, a Saxe-Coburg and Gotha prince and maternal uncle of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. 

Prince Gabriel carries the name Saxe-Coburg 

Prince Gabriel is the eldest son but the second child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, he was born on August 20, 2003. He completed his secondary school at the International School of Brussels (ISB), an English-language private school in Watermael-Boitsfort. 

In September 2021, he took a 1-year preparatory A-Level course in mathematics, further mathematics, and physics at The National Mathematics and Science College, a STEM-oriented sixth form college in Warwickshire, England.

Princess Elisabeth also underwent the same training in 2020 and recently in July 

Had it not for the change of the succession law in 1991, from male-preference primogeniture to Absolute Primogeniture Law, he would have been the heir-apparent today and the current Duke of Brabant.

One proud sister: Princess Elisabeth and Prince Gabriel

Princess Elisabeth and Queen Mathilde

His older sister, Princess Elisabeth, became the Duchess of Brabant when their grandfather, King Albert II, abdicated the throne in July 2013. Princess Elisabeth would be the very first Queen regnant of Belgium since the country established its own monarchy in 1831.

She was named after their great-great-grandmother, Queen Elisabeth, the wife of King Albert I of Belgium. Apart from Prince Gabriel, Princess Elisabeth has two other younger siblings, Prince Emmanuel and Princess Eleonore.

Prince Gabriel during his training

Prince Gabriel is currently second-in-line of succession to the Belgian throne but not in direct succession to the throne which means that if Princess Elisabeth would marry someday and would have children, Prince Gabriel will be moved further from the throne.

Queen Mathilde, King Philippe, and Princess Elizabeth 

Prince Gabriel and his mother, Queen Mathilde

But royal fans want to see more of Prince Gabriel now that he is an adult and ready to take royal duties. It is not known however if he will be given equal loads of royal duties like those of his older sister. But one thing is for sure, he will serve in the Belgian military, either in the Royal Navy or in the Army, as an officer. His first cousin, Prince Amedeo, is serving in the army while Amedeo's younger brother, Prince Joachim, is serving in the Royal Navy.

Queen Mathilde, King Philippe, and Princess Elisabeth

As much as we are enthusiastic about Prince Gabriel's military career, we are also delighted that Princess Elisabeth is taking more public engagement and beginning to be at the forefront of royal duties in the Belgian monarchy.

The Belgian royal court does not have many working royals. King Philippe's younger brother, Prince Laurent, and his wife, Princess Claire, are not working royals. The King's younger sister, Princess Astrid, is a working royal but rarely takes public engagement. Her children, though in line to succeed, are not also working royals.

King Philippe and his heir, Princess Elisabeth