Princess Elisabeth of Belgium on Wednesday paid her first solo visit to the Ghent children’s hospital named after her.
The Duchess of Brabant learned about the hospital’s operations, interacted with children, and met healthcare professionals, as well as a cleaner.
Elisabeth, heir to the throne at the age of 22, has a meaningful connection to the paediatric department of the University Hospital of Ghent. She inaugurated it at the age of nine in 2011, and since then has discreetly visited it every two or three years, without the press being informed. Her mother, Queen Mathilde, was always with her.
The Palace also distributes gifts to children every Christmas.
Wednesday marked Princess Elisabeth’s first official visit unaccompanied by her parents. She arrived at the hospital around 10 a.m. and left an hour later.
Jade Borny, a 15-year-old girl with a rare autoimmune disease diagnosed the day before, had the chance to meet the princess.
“It warmed my heart. Princess Elisabeth was very kind and attentive to what we were saying,” Jade recalled. “She maintained eye contact, was always smiling and showed great respect. Not everyone gets to experience that. It was a special moment.”
Jade found the princess very down to earth despite her status. “She behaves like a normal human being, although she is better dressed, which is to be expected. After all, she will be the Queen of the Belgians,” added the young patient, who thoroughly enjoyed their meeting.
This was the third official activity that the future queen has undertaken alone, following the inauguration of a laboratory at the Catholic University of Leuven and the christening of the Belgica research vessel.
