We’re furious after our streets were ‘taken over’ by royal family blocking our pavements – they should get a ticket
FUMING locals have slammed a royal family for blocking their pavements and taking over their street.
Residents in Oxfordshire hit out at Belgian royals after a fleet of black cars were abandoned on double yellow lines amid the prestigious Oxford graduation ceremony.
One homeowner blasted: “The Belgium Royal Family Motorcade was parked blocking the Pavement yesterday afternoon in Turl Street whilst they attended the Ceremony.
“Did they get a ticket?”
It comes as Princess Elisabeth was spotted in Oxford this week the glitzy graduation kicked off, as reported by the Oxford Mail.
The 22-year-old is next in line to the Belgian throne as the eldest child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium.
The Princess moved to Oxfordshire in 2021 to start studying for her History and Politics undergraduate course at Lincoln College.
But locals were fuming after the black SUVs were left blocking entire pavements in the city centre.
Despite the backlash, Oxfordshire County Council revealed the royal entourage had been given permission.
A spokesperson for the county council said: “These cars were Belgian Police Force vehicles, working in association with Thames Valley Police.
“Dispensation from traffic regulation orders for security reasons was sought in advance and approved by our parking enforcement officers.”
A spokesperson for the Belgian Royal Palace said: “Parking spots and security protocols have been agreed with local authorities and strictly followed.”
In a statement the Palace added: “After having recently successfully completed the admission tests, Her Royal Highness Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant, will begin a master’s degree in public policy this summer at Harvard University (Harvard Kennedy School) in Boston.
“This two-year course will complete her university education following her bachelor’s degree in History and Politics at the University of Oxford.”
Princess Elisabeth was born on October 25, 2001 and will become Belgium’s first Queen Regnant if she ascends the throne after her father.
She has studied at St John Berchmans College and was later enrolled at UWC Atlantic College in Wales.
The Princess also joined the Belgian military and currently has the rank of second lieutenant.
Following her Oxford graduation she will go on to study for a masters in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School in the US.
Belgian Royal Family
THE monarchy descends from King Albert I, who was the nephew of Leopold II
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde share four children.
Princess Elisabeth, who is heir to the throne as eldest child, Prince Gabriel, Prince Emmanuel and Princess Eleonore.
King Philippe ascended to the throne following his father’s abdication on 21 July 2013.
His younger sister, Princess Astrid, has been the president of the Belgian Red Cross, served on the honorary board of the International Paralympic Committee, and runs the Prince Albert Trust.
She has welcomed five children with her husband Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este.
They are Prince Amadeo, Princess Maria Laura, Prince Joachim, Princess Luisa and Princess Laetitia.
King Philippe’s younger brother Prince Laurent is 14th in line to the throne.
He was implicated in a corruption scandal over the funding of his royal residence in 2006 which saw him testify in court.
He is married to Princess Claire and they share three children, Princess Louise and twins Prince Nicolas and Prince Aymeric.
Meanwhile Princess Delphine is the daughter of King Albert and Belgian noblewoman Sybille de Selys Longchamps.
The paternity was not discovered until 2020, and King Albert welcomed her into the family, although she will not be in the line of succession.