Belgium's Crown Princess Elisabeth has been named the world's second most desirable royal bachelorette, Het Laatste Nieuws (HLN) reports.
According to the popular French magazine Point de Vue — the "go-to" publication for all things royal-related in France — the 21-year-old is second in desirability only to Dutch Crown Princess Amalia (19). Norwegian Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra (19) was named the third most coveted female royal.
"Elisabeth is heir to an institution and stands for tradition," Thomas Pernette, one of the journalists who compiled the list, told HLN. "At the same time, she is contemporary and natural. And thus a suitable marriage candidate in royal circles."
He added: "I was at the ceremony for her 18th birthday at the Palace in Brussels in 2019, and was impressed by her charisma. She already seemed to realise then what her role and responsibility entailed. In recent years, she has only become more assertive with more official commitments. She is clearly an asset to the Belgian Royal Family. The idea that she will be the first woman to ascend to the Belgian throne only reinforces the idea that she occupies a special place."
Reigning supreme
Pernette also explained the rationale behind the magazine's decision to name Princess Amalia as the world's most desirable unmarried princess. In particular, he noted that all candidates were ranked according to three criteria: the prestige of the dynasty to which they belong, the estimated fortune of their family, and their fame.
"Ingrid Alexandra is a little less known abroad than Amalia and Elisabeth," said Pernette. "And the 'Oranges' [the Dutch royal family] are known to be significantly richer than the Saxe-Coburg royal dynasty. That's why we put Amalia first. But aside from the money and tiaras she can wear, her personality seduced us. On her recent tour of the Caribbean with her parents Willem-Alexander and Máxima, Amalia already showed herself to be queen-worthy."
He added: "Amalia and Elisabeth are not only the Queens of the future, they are also the true ambassadors of their country abroad. They are modern young women. For us, the French, they bring a real breath of fresh air in how we see the monarchy."
Elisabeth's younger brother, Prince Gabriel (19) also fared well on Point de Vue's equivalent male list: he was named the world's third most eligible royal bachelor, after Moroccan Crown Prince Moulay Hassan (19) and Liechtenstein Crown Prince Joseph Wenzel (27).
"The second child of King Philip and Queen Mathilde will never ascend to the throne, but what difference does it make?" said Pernette. "By the side of his eldest sister Elizabeth, he will undoubtedly become one of the mainstays of the next reign. Despite his youthful age, his private life stirs people: rumours have it that he is already linked to Princess Amalia."
