Royal Central - Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
Photo: Bas Bogaerts/Royal Palace
The Belgian Royal Palace has released three new photos of Prince Emmanuel as he celebrates his 18th birthday.
Each of the images was taken by Royal Palace photographer Bas Bogaerts at the Palace of Laeken – his family’s official residence in Brussels.
The royal is seen by himself in two of the photographs but poses with his father, King Philippe, in the third image.
Prince Emmanuel Leopold Guillaume François Marie was born on 4 October 2005 to the then Duke and Duchess of Brabant. At the time, his grandfather, King Albert II, was on the throne.
Emmanuel is the second son and third child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde.
His older siblings are Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant (21) and Prince Gabriel (20). He has one younger sister, Princess Eléonore (15).
Emmanuel, who is third in line to the Belgian throne, counts Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg and his maternal aunt Countess Elisabeth d’Udekem d’Acoz, as godparents.
The Prince currently attends the International School of Brussels, where courses are taught only in English. He previously attended the Eureka school in Kessel-Lo, where he was taught in Dutch. Prince Emmanuel is a polyglot and is able to speak Dutch, French and English fluently.