King Philippe pictured with Prince Emmanuel in sweet father-son photo to mark milestone

Belgium's royal family has shared new photographs of Prince Emmanuel to mark his 18th birthday – including a touching father-son photograph with King Philippe.

The portraits were taken by Bas Bogaerts at the royal family's official residence, Laeken Palace, in Brussels.

The prince, dressed in a navy suit with a red tie, smiles directly at the lens in a more formal image, while a second shows him more relaxed and grinning off-camera.

The third shows King Philippe, 63, also wearing a navy suit, looking proudly at his son.

Prince Emmanuel, born on 4 October 2005, is the youngest son of King Philippe and his wife Queen Mathilde.

DON'T MISS

• Prince William's unusual eating habit on public engagements revealed

• Princess Kate reveals how she's helping Prince George prepare for his exams

• Meghan Markle's first meeting with Princess Eugenie's new baby boy

The Belgian king and queen are also parents to Princess Elisabeth, who turns 22 on 25 October, Prince Gabriel, 20, and Princess Eleonore, 15.

Prince Emmanuel is a student at the International School of Brussels, where he is studying for his international baccalaureate.

The young royal speaks French, Dutch and English, and according to his biography on the palace's website, he loves skiing, tennis, windsurfing and running. He also plays the saxophone.

The prince, who is likely to carry out royal engagements in future, is a regular volunteer. The palace says: "During the coronavirus crisis, the Prince had several conversations over the phone with isolated elderly people in residential care centres in order to support and encourage them. He has also been involved in a youth movement for several years."

Prince Emmanuel's future plans have yet to be announced by the palace, but he is likely to follow in his father and older siblings' footsteps, and enrol in military training.

Princess Elisabeth, who is heir to the Belgian throne, is doing a degree course in History and Politics at Lincoln College at Oxford University in the UK. Prince Gabriel is studying social and military sciences at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels. And Princess Eleonore, who recently joined her mother Queen Mathilde for a public engagement at the opera, is also a student at the International School of Brussels.

Learn more about the future kings and queens of Europe in the clip below...

The Belgian royal family celebrated King Philippe's tenth year of his reign over the summer.

Philippe ascended the throne on 21 July 2013 after his father King Albert II's abdication due to health reasons.

He is the eldest child of King Albert II and Queen Paola, who are also parents to Princess Astrid, 61, and Prince Laurent, 59.

Philippe also has a half-sister, Delphine Boël, who was granted the title of Princess of Belgium in October 2020 following a court battle.

Listen to HELLO!'s A Right Royal Podcast and find out which major character Prince Harry inspired in a Hollywood movie