Prince Gabriel was born at 1:15 am CET on 20 August 2003 in the Erasmus Hospital in Anderlecht, Brussels.[2] He was christened at Ciergnon Castle, one of the royal family's summer residences, on 25 October 2003 by Cardinal Godfried Danneels, the Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels.[3] His godparents are his maternal uncle Count Charles-Henri d'Udekem d'Acoz (born 1985); and his paternal second cousin, Baroness Maria Christina von Freyberg-Eisenberg [de] (born 1965). King Philippe stated in an interview that he finds the name Gabriel, which is new in the royal family, not only beautiful, short and powerful, but also the name unites the three major religious traditions. He was named after his great-uncle King Baudouin of Belgium, his maternal uncle and godfather Count Charles-Henri d'Udekem d'Acoz and Virgin Mary (traditional name in Catholic royalty).[2]
Prince Gabriel was initially educated at the Dutch-language St John Berchmans College, a public school in Marollen from September 2006 until September 2019.[4][5] In September 2019, Gabriel was transferred to the English-language International School of Brussels, a private school in Watermael-Boitsfort.[5] He finished his secondary education in August 2021.[6] After completing his secondary studies, he took a 1-year preparatory A-Level course in mathematics, further mathematics, and physics at the National Mathematics and Science College, a STEM-oriented sixth form college in Warwickshire, England.[1]
In July 2022, the Belgian Royal Court announced that Gabriel would undertake military training.[7] In August 2022, he entered the Royal Military Academy of Belgium, studying social and military sciences in Dutch language.[7] Among the 162nd promotion, he received his blue beret in September 2022 and was trained under the name "Gabriël van Saksen-Coburg".[8][9] In August 2024, Gabriel, as part of his training at the Royal Military Academy, started a five-month training at the Special Military School of Saint-Cyr in Coëtquidan, France to study geopolitics.[10]
Prince Gabriel speaks Dutch, French and English.[1]
Public appearances
In August 2013, Prince Gabriel accompanied his father King Philippe to a European Hockey Championship match in Boom, in which Belgium played (and won) against Germany.[11] Prince Gabriel read the prayer intentions at his great-aunt Queen Fabiola's funeral in December 2014.[12] Gabriel, his mother Queen Mathilde and sister Princess Elisabeth attended the finals of the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition on 12 May 2018.[13] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Prince Gabriel had conversations over the phone with elderly people in residential care centers in order to encourage and support them.[1] In December 2020, Prince Gabriel and his sister Princess Eléonore volunteered at a convenience store and a warehouse in Ghent.[14] In June 2021, Prince Gabriel accompanied his father King Philippe on a visit to the 15Wing Air Transport at Military Airport Melsbroek.[15] In April 2023, Prince Gabriel accompanied King Philippe on a visit to French Guiana, where they witnessed the launch of the Ariane 5 rocket from the Kourou Space Center.[16][17] In May 2023, the Prince attended a garden party in honour of his father's reign's tenth anniversary.[18] On 21 July 2023, he and his sister Elisabeth were among the fellow students of the Royal Military Academy Belgium to parade during the Belgian National Day.[19]
Prince Gabriel has been involved in the Scouts since he was eight years old and has become a patrol leader in the last few years.[1]
As a Prince of Belgium and a descendant of King Leopold I, the Prince is entitled to use a coat of arms which was stipulated in the Royal Decree of King Philippe in 2019.[23]
^Somers, Anne-France (26 October 2003). "Baptême princier pour Gabriel" [Princely baptism for Gabriel]. dhnet.be (in French). Archived from the original on 7 May 2023.
^ ab"Waarom Elisabeth 'Van België' heette in het leger en Gabriël 'Van Saksen-Coburg' is" [Why Elisabeth was called 'Van Belgium' in the army and Gabriel is 'Van Saksen-Coburg']. HLN (in Dutch). 30 September 2022. Archived from the original on 1 November 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2023. prins Gabriël (19) is voor zijn legeropleiding ingeschreven als 'leerling-officier Van Saksen-Coburg'. [Prince Gabriel (19) is registered for his army training as an 'Officer Cadet Van Saksen-Coburg'.]
^Belgian Royal Palace (19 August 2024). "Prins Gabriël wordt vandaag 21 jaar. ..." [Prince Gabriel turns 21 today. ...]. Instagram (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 7 September 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
^"Prins Gabriël wordt ook international" [Prince Gabriel also becomes international]. Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). 19 August 2013. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
^"Prins Gabriël stopt met hockey" [Prince Gabriel retires from hockey]. Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). 24 August 2013. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
^Mieze, Marta (1 October 2022). "Belgian Prince Gabriel completes military initiation". The Brussels Times. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023. The training is intended to immerse young future-office for a professional career in the armed forces and provide basic military skills. 190 students ultimately passed the training and received their symbolic blue berets on Friday, which officialises their new title of cadet.
^Delorme, Philippe (28 August 2022). "Gabriel de Belgique, le service pour héritage" [Gabriel from Belgium, the inheritance service]. Point de Vue (in French). Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023. Deuxième dans l'ordre de succession – qui fait désormais fi de la loi salique –, Gabriel sera donc élève-officier, interne durant une année à l'École royale militaire (ERM),... [Second in the order of succession – which now ignores the Salic law –, Gabriel will therefore be a cadet, an intern for a year at the Royal Military School (ERM), ...]
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