King Filip’s younger sister Princess Astrid will no longer lead Belgian trade missions abroad. In a statement released on Thursday the Royal Palace said that Princess Astrid is bowing out for health reasons. Queen Mathilde will take over her role temporarily until Princess Elisabeth is ready to assume the position.
After 12 years Princess Astrid will no longer lead Belgium economic missions abroad
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Since 2021, Princess Astrid has headed twenty-four economic missions. Earlier this year she led a mission to India in March and travelled to California in October with a delegation of more than 500 politician, academics and businesspeople.
However, the Royal Palace now says that after 12 years representing Belgium abroad, Princess Astrid’s health no longer allows her to meet the demands of the job. King Filip has accepted his sister’s request to step down and expressed his appreciation of her long-standing commitment to promoting Belgian trade.
Queen Mathilde will replace Princess Astrid as the head of the next foreign trade mission that will be in Turkey next May. However, the Royal Palace says that this arrangement is only temporary. Crown Princess Elisabeth, who is currently studying at Harvard, will take on the role at some point in the future.