Belgium’s King Philippe stays protected as he escorts Princess Eléonore back to school

King Philippe of Belgium took precaution as he accompanied his daughter Princess Eléonore on her first day back at school. The monarch stepped out amid the COVID-19 pandemic wearing a face mask, while the 12-year-old Princess did not. “Thank you to school administrators, teachers and educators for the preparations and adaptations aimed at allowing a partial and gradual return of students,” the palace wrote alongside a video of Philippe walking his youngest child to the doors of Sint-Jan Berchmanscollege (St John Berchmans College) on Friday, May 15.

© Belgian Royal Palace

It was announced in April that schools in Belgium would gradually reopen in mid-May following restrictions put in place to combat the spread of COVID-19. Per BBC, no more than ten children are allowed in each classroom. Prior to returning to school this week, Eléonore volunteered with her mom Queen Mathilde. The mother-daughter duo, both wearing gloves and masks, helped passed out meals to the homeless.

Eléonore isn’t the first royal child to head back to the classroom. HOLA! USA confirmed in April that  Crown Princess Mary   and Crown Prince Frederik’s nine-year-old twins, Princess Josephine and Prince Vincent, returned to school like other Danish children in their age group. The partial reopening of schools for younger students was part of Denmark’s phase one to reopen.  Prince William and Kate Middleton’s five-year-old daughter Princess Charlotte might soon be going back to school as well. The UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently announced that he is aiming to reopen schools in June for reception, year one and year six students.

 Prince George  , who is in year two, would not be going back to school at the same time as his younger sister, who began her reception year at Thomas’s Battersea last year. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been homeschooling their oldest kids during the coronavirus pandemic. Last week, Kate revealed that her son George is jealous of Charlotte’s homework. The mom of three shared, “George gets very upset because he wants to do all of Charlotte’s projects, like making sort of spider sandwiches is far cooler than literacy work.”