Crown Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, the eldest daughter of King Philippe, is known for her linguistic abilities. In addition to being fluent in French and Dutch, she can also speak Chinese. Beginning her Chinese language studies at the age of 10, Crown Princess Elisabeth has mentioned that it is the most challenging language she has attempted to master. However, she finds the unique characters of the Chinese script very intriguing and continues to improve her proficiency. Her father, King Philippe, has been very supportive of her learning Chinese.
During her secondary education, Crown Princess Elisabeth attended the Sint-Jan Berchmans College in Brussels. Princess Elisabeth began her formal Chinese studies at school, driven by her curiosity. Immediately captivated by the complex and unique Chinese writing system, she found the journey challenging yet fascinating. The unfamiliar strokes and structures of Chinese characters seemed daunting, and mastering the tonal pronunciation proved to be a headache. However, Princess Elisabeth’s enthusiasm and inquisitive nature fueled her perseverance through these initial hurdles. She diligently practiced writing characters and closely imitated her teacher’s pronunciation. Outside of class, she dedicated significant time to memorizing vocabulary and sentence structures. Gradually, she was able to connect written characters with their sounds and began forming simple sentences.
As her studies progressed, Princess Elisabeth’s Chinese proficiency improved significantly. She reached the point where she could engage in basic conversations with her Chinese teachers and comprehend routine classroom interactions. Impressively, she exhibited an extraordinary aptitude for language, often mastering new concepts ahead of her peers.
Later she continued her studies at the Atlantic College in Wales, often dubbed the “nursery of European royalty.” She further pursued her education in history and politics at Lincoln College, Oxford University, and she also passed the entrance examinations for Harvard University. As a talented and accomplished young woman, she is poised to potentially become one of the few European monarchs who can speak Chinese.
Crown Princess Elisabeth’s educational journey illustrates that despite Chinese being widely regarded as one of the most difficult languages to learn, a keen interest, determination, and family support can lead to success in mastering it. There is a growing trend among European royals to learn Chinese, recognizing its benefits for future opportunities. Parents might take inspiration from Crown Princess Elisabeth and encourage their children to engage in learning Chinese, given its increasing relevance in the world today.
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