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Princess Elisabeth's lookalike sister celebrates 16th birthday

Belgium's Queen Mathilde and Philippe share four children


 Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, Princess Eleonore of Belgium and Queen Mathilde of Belgium on National Day 2023
Danielle Stacey
Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
On 16 April 2024
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Royal siblings naturally often look alike and we had to do a double take when the Belgian royal palace shared a new photograph of Queen Mathilde and King Philippe's youngest child, Princess Eleonore, to mark her 16th birthday on Tuesday.

The princess is the image of her elder sister and future queen, Princess Elisabeth, 22, in the new portrait.

Eleonore was pictured at the Belgian royal family's residence, Laeken, in Brussels and looked elegant in a white blouse and blue flared trousers from Zara and a pair of black loafers.

The princess accessorised with gold jewellery and styled her blonde tresses in loose waves, much like her big sister, Elisabeth.

Princess Elenore of Belgium on her 16th birthday© Bas Bogaerts
Princess Elenore of Belgium on her 16th birthday

Eleonore is currently studying for her International Baccalaureate at the International School of Brussels, while Elisabeth is reading History and Politics at Lincoln College of Oxford University.

Princess Elisabeth of Belgium wearing olive green suit© Getty
Princess Elisabeth is the heir to the Belgian throne

Queen Mathilde and King Philippe are also parents to sons, Prince Gabriel, 20 and Prince Emmanuel, 18.

The Belgian king also marked his 64th birthday the day before his youngest daughter on Monday 15 April.

The palace shared some heartwarming photographs of Philippe with his first cousin, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, who also celebrated his 69th birthday on Tuesday.

King Philippe and Grand Duke Henri with a cake on their birthdays© Bas Bogaerts
King Philippe's father, King Albert II, and Henri's mother, Grand Duchess Josephine, were brother and sister

The monarchs were pictured together blowing out candles on a raspberry-covered cake at Laeken.

The Belgian royal family's Instagram caption read: "The State visit doesn't start until tomorrow but the King and the Grand Duke already have something to celebrate together: their respective birthdays, that fall within a day of each other (15 and 16 April)! Happy birthday, Your Majesty and Your Royal Highness!"

King Philippe and Grand Duke Henri blowing out candles on their birthday© Bas Bogaerts
The two monarchs almost share a birthday

Grand Duke Henri and his wife, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, are visiting Belgium on a state visit from 16 to 18 April.

A number of European royals share the same birthday on 16 April, as well as Grand Duke Henri and Princess Eleonore, Prince Sebastien of Luxembourg turned 32, while Queen Margrethe of Denmark celebrated her 84th birthday.

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