# Prince Gabriel of Belgium

Prince Gabriel of Belgium (French: Gabriel Baudouin Charles Marie, Dutch: Gabriël Boudewijn Karel Maria; born 20 August 2003) is the elder son and second child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium. He is currently second in line to the throne of Belgium after his elder sister, Elisabeth.

## Early life

Prince Gabriel was born at 1:15 am CET on 20 August 2003 in the Erasmus Hospital in Anderlecht, Brussels. He was christened at Ciergnon Castle, one of the royal family's summer residences, on 25 October 2003 by Cardinal Godfried Danneels, the Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels. His godparents are his maternal uncle Count Charles-Henri d'Udekem d'Acoz (born 1985); and his paternal second cousin, Baroness Maria Christina von Freyberg-Eisenberg [de] (born 1965). King Philippe stated in an interview that he finds the name Gabriel, which is new in the royal family, not only beautiful, short and powerful, but also the name unites the three major religious traditions. He was named after his great-uncle King Baudouin of Belgium, his maternal uncle and godfather Count Charles-Henri d'Udekem d'Acoz and Virgin Mary (traditional name in Catholic royalty).
Gabriel's older sister, Elisabeth, precedes him in the line of succession following the 1991 adoption of absolute primogeniture. He also has a younger brother, Prince Emmanuel, and a younger sister, Princess Eléonore. He grew up at the Royal Palace of Laeken.

## Education and military training

Prince Gabriel was initially educated at the Dutch-language St John Berchmans College, a public school in Marollen from September 2006 until September 2019. In September 2019, Gabriel was transferred to the English-language International School of Brussels, a private school in Watermael-Boitsfort. He finished his secondary education in August 2021. After completing his secondary studies, he took a one-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.
In July 2022, the Belgian Royal Court announced that Gabriel would undertake military training. In August 2022, he entered the Royal Military Academy of Belgium, studying social and military sciences in Dutch language. Among the 162nd promotion, he received his blue beret in September 2022 and was trained under the name "Gabriël van Saksen-Coburg". In August 2024, Gabriel, as part of his training at the Royal Military Academy, started a five-month training at the Special Military School of Saint-Cyr in Coëtquidan, France, to study geopolitics.
Prince Gabriel speaks Dutch, French and English.

## Public appearances

In August 2013, Prince Gabriel accompanied his father, King Philippe, to a European Hockey Championship match in Boom, in which Belgium played (and won) against Germany. Prince Gabriel read the prayer intentions at his great-aunt Queen Fabiola's funeral in December 2014. Gabriel, his mother Queen Mathilde and sister Princess Elisabeth attended the finals of the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition on 12 May 2018. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Prince Gabriel had conversations over the phone with elderly people in residential care centers in order to encourage and support them. In December 2020, Prince Gabriel and his sister Princess Eléonore volunteered at a convenience store and a warehouse in Ghent. In June 2021, Prince Gabriel accompanied his father King Philippe on a visit to the 15Wing Air Transport at Military Airport Melsbroek. In April 2023, Prince Gabriel accompanied King Philippe on a visit to French Guiana, where they witnessed the launch of the Ariane 5 rocket from the Kourou Space Center. In May 2023, the Prince attended a garden party in honour of his father's reign's tenth anniversary. On 21 July 2023, he and his sister Elisabeth were among the fellow students of the Royal Military Academy Belgium to parade during the Belgian National Day.
Prince Gabriel has been involved in the Scouts since he was eight years old and has become a patrol leader in the last few years.

## Personal life

Prince Gabriel plays the piano. He likes to practice taekwondo, football, cycling, tennis, swimming, skiing, sailing and hiking. He was a member of Royal Evere White Star Hockey Club [nl], a Belgian hockey club based in Evere but decided to quit hockey in 2019 to focus on his school work.

## Military ranks

* 30 September 2022 – present: Officer cadet, The Royal Military Academy.

## Arms

Coat of arms of Prince Gabriel of Belgium :
* NotesAs a Prince of Belgium and a descendant of King Leopold I, the Prince is entitled to use a coat of arms which was stipulated in the Royal Decree of King Philippe in 2019.
* Adopted12 July 2019
* CoronetPrincely crown of Belgium
* EscutcheonSable, a lion rampant or, armed and langued gules (Belgium), on the shoulder an escutcheon barry of ten sable and or, a crancelin vert (Wettin), overall a bordure or.
* SupportersTwo lions guardant proper
* MottoFrench: L'union fait la force Dutch: Eendracht maakt macht German: Einigkeit macht stark
* Other elementsThe whole is placed on a mantle purpure with ermine lining, fringes and tassels or and ensigned with the Royal crown of Belgium.