Living in shared flats, studying, sailing around the world How Europe's future queens live
Under the same roof as a true royal: Dutch Princess Amalia is studying in Amsterdam - and lives in a shared flat.
Image: Bild: EPA/Koen van Weel
Princess Elisabeth would be the first woman to head Belgium's monarchy. She is currently studying at the elite US university Harvard.
Image: Bild: EPA/Olivier Matthys
Princess Leonor of Spain is currently completing her military service.
Image: Bild: EPA/Orlando Barria
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden is 47 years old. She could take her place on the throne in the future.
Image: Bild:. EPA/Jonas Ekstromer
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden has been married to her husband Daniel Westling since 2010.
Image: Bild. KEYSTONE/AP/Scanpix/Pool
Under the same roof as a true royal: Dutch Princess Amalia is studying in Amsterdam - and lives in a shared flat.
Image: Bild: EPA/Koen van Weel
Princess Elisabeth would be the first woman to head Belgium's monarchy. She is currently studying at the elite US university Harvard.
Image: Bild: EPA/Olivier Matthys
Princess Leonor of Spain is currently completing her military service.
Image: Bild: EPA/Orlando Barria
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden is 47 years old. She could take her place on the throne in the future.
Image: Bild:. EPA/Jonas Ekstromer
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden has been married to her husband Daniel Westling since 2010.
Image: Bild. KEYSTONE/AP/Scanpix/Pool
They are just in their early 20s, but will probably be queens one day. Until then, however, these young women and future heads of state will be sitting in lecture halls, living in shared flats or sailing around the world.
30.06.2025, 20:52
30.06.2025, 21:54
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- Between sailing around the world, studying at Harvard and living in shared flats: Europe's heirs to the throne do not yet have to fulfill any royal duties.
- Nevertheless, in the Netherlands as well as in Belgium, Spain and Sweden, women are at the top of the line to the throne.
- However, the future queens are still largely shielded from the public eye. Interviews are an absolute rarity.
There are a total of twelve monarchies in Europe - and not one of them is headed by a woman. But that is likely to change in the future: Several European princesses are currently waiting for the throne. They are not only future heads of state, but also soldiers and students.
These are the next heiresses to the throne in Europe
In Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden, women are next in line to the throne. Among the youngest of them is Crown Princess Elisabeth (23) of Belgium, who will one day be the first woman in her country's history to sit on the throne.
The Dutch heir to the throne, Amalia (21), is already a member of the Council of State, an advisory body to the government. In Spain, Princess Leonor (19) is likely to head the country at some point - and would be the first female head of state since 1868. In Sweden, the crown princess is Victoria (47).
Future queens study at Oxford, Harvard & Co.
Like many other young people, Elisabeth went to university after school. She completed her Bachelor's degree at Oxford University in the UK and has been studying for a Master's degree in Public Policy at the elite Harvard University in the USA for the past year. The Dutch Princess Amalia currently lives in a shared flat in Amsterdam and is studying for her Bachelor's degree there.
It is still uncertain whether the Trump government will enforce the planned entry ban for foreign students and whether Elisabeth will be able to continue her studies. According to the palace, it is currently examining the possible effects of the Trump administration's decision. If everything goes according to plan, Elisabeth would like to complete her Master's degree in May 2026.
Picking up a weapon is also part of it
The heir to the Belgian throne has already completed two years of training at the Royal Military School in Brussels. This is not stipulated by law or the constitution. But: "The monarch, in this case Elisabeth as the future Queen, must be able to take up arms at any time, at least symbolically, and defend her country," says royal expert Thomas de Bergeyck from Belgian broadcaster RTL.
Just like Elisabeth, Princess Leonor from Spain is also undergoing military training: first in the army, currently in the navy and soon in the air force. This is customary because the King or Queen is in charge of the military.
Almost no interviews and hardly any public appointments
The future queens rarely if ever give interviews. Princess Elisabeth lives abroad for her studies, far away from the Belgian media hype, says de Bergeyck. "What sets her apart from other students, however, is that she is constantly accompanied by two bodyguards," he says.
Princess Amalia had to temporarily move to Madrid a few years ago during her studies because of a possible threat from criminals.
The heirs to the throne are already attending some public appointments. At the age of just nine, Elisabeth officially inaugurated a new children's hospital at Ghent University Hospital, which was named after her.
The royal hobbies: rowing, horse riding, ballet
Sporting activities are part and parcel of the young heiresses to the throne. According to the Belgian palace, Elisabeth enjoys skiing, rowing and sailing. She plays the piano and speaks several languages: in addition to Dutch, French and English, she also speaks German - unlike her siblings.
"Elisabeth embodies a modern image of the Belgian monarchy," says aristocracy expert de Bergeyck. "An educated young woman, multilingual, cosmopolitan and committed to contemporary values such as social responsibility and gender equality."
According to the Dutch media, Princess Amalia learned to play field hockey, judo, horse riding and the violin as a child. The heir to the throne Leonor is considered dreamy and, according to Spanish media, is somewhat shy, but also level-headed, prudent and well-organized. Her hobbies include volleyball and ballet.
Successors to the throne must be politically neutral
"As heir to the throne, Princess Elisabeth is not allowed to express herself politically. Like all members of the royal family, she is obliged to remain strictly neutral," says de Bergeyck.
The reason: monarchs are supposed to play a unifying role across political divides. Elisabeth will therefore also have to adhere to this as Queen.
When will they become queens?
"Nowadays, the royal career is usually ended by abdication - in the past it was death," says de Bergeyck about the Belgian monarchy. But both are possible. This also applies to the heirs to the throne, Amalia and Leonor.
In June, King Philippe explained in a video on the monarchy's website, in which he answered questions from citizens, that he does not yet feel "retired" at the age of 65. His statement: "I don't feel like a pensioner. Do I look like a pensioner to you?" According to Bergeyck, the answer is clear: the king is not ready to retire.
It has only been possible for Elisabeth to become the first woman to head the throne after six kings since a reform in 1991. Since then, the eldest child inherits the throne, regardless of gender.
