Prince Gabriel breaks composure at graduation for sweet brotherly moment with Princess Elisabeth

While some of us may get embarrassed by our family at our graduation, this wasn’t the case for Belgium’s Prince Gabriel.

The Belgian royal, who is second in line to the throne, received his degree in Social and Military Sciences from the Royal Military Academy. He was joined by his parents, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, with both Philippe and Gabriel wearing their military uniforms.

Gabriel’s older sister, Princess Elisabeth, was also at the ceremony, and while she didn’t initially join Gabriel’s photos, when they locked eyes, Gabriel invited his sister to join the family.

Elisabeth, 24, previously graduated from the Royal Military Academy in 2023, before going on to study at Oxford and Harvard universities.

Royal fans loved the sweet moment, as one commented: “That’s heartwarming to see,” while a second added: “Truly beautiful & highly intelligent family.”

Before his own military career, Gabriel studied at St John Berchmans College, the International School of Brussels and The National Mathematics and Science College in Warwickshire.

His graduation came just days after he marked his 23rd birthday, and while traditionally royal birthdays are marked with posed portraits, Gabriel’s was marked with the royal climbing through the glaciers and peaks of the Mont Blanc massif.

A caption on the post read: “Prince Gabriel is celebrating his 23rd birthday today! During the summer holidays, the Prince headed to the glaciers and peaks of the Mont Blanc massif, reaching the Refuge Albert Ier—a mountain hut named after King Albert I, an avid mountaineer. After this adventurous trek, he is all set for his 24th year!”

What does Prince Gabriel’s future hold?

Gabriel is due to make history as he becomes the first member of his family to serve in the military as a career. Until recently, the law did not allow members of the Belgian royal family to pursue a paid professional military career. 

The royal is also not expected to carry out any royal duties, as laws passed following Philippe’s accession to the throne in 2013 means that only the heir to the throne is required to undertake any official duties out of Philippe and Mathilde’s four children.

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The 23-year-old will train at the Infantry School in Arlon, where he will learn how to command an infantry platoon. Following this, he will undergo paratrooper training in Marche-les-Dames and Schaffen.

Gabriel marked a major milestone this year when he carried out his first solo engagement. Back in May, he was seen in the royal box at the Henry Le Bœuf Hall for the penultimate evening of the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition. He watched several musicians playing in a bid to reach the final of the competition.