Palace issues statement as rumours circulate about new royal romance

The Belgian palace have released a statement after rumours about a possible romance between Princess Elisabeth and Prince Georg of Liechtenstein. A photo circulating social media began the rumour, but both palaces are yet to confirm whether the image is real or if there is indeed a relationship between the two royals.

When asked about the picture, a spokesperson for the Belgian Royal Palace in Brussels told reporters: "We saw the photo too. We don't know if it's real or AI. We aren't commenting [on private matters]."

If the romance is real then it would mark the first romance in nearly half a century since King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía of Spain married in 1962.

Belgian royal journalist, Wim Dehandschutter, tells HELLO! that the royal pairing would naturally make sense.

They said: "Elisabeth and Georg, it would certainly be a wonderful royal match. Royal families are close in general, and Belgians and Liechtensteiners know each other well; there are branches.

"Their parents are colleagues, friends, in some way family. Elisabeth and Georg are believed to have known each other since childhood."

On the authenticity of the picture shared on social media, they added: "King Philippe and certainly Queen Mathilde guard their privacy like lions, and even more so that of their children. And the Liechtensteiners are also legendary secretive.

"They're an unknown but prestigious royal family and one of the wealthiest. Why would Elisabeth and Georg have any interest in leaking their relationship? And then in such a clumsy way, via a private photo that's never completely private on Instagram?"

Born in October 2001, Princess Elisabeth is the eldest child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde and is the heir apparent to the Belgian throne.

Prince Georg - born in April 1999 - is the third child of Hereditary Prince Alois and Hereditary Princess Sophie and is third in line to the throne.