Happy sweet 16th, Princess Eléonore! King Philippe of Belgium's daughter is radiant as she poses for new portraits to mark her birthday

Princess Eléonore of Belgium looked radiant as she posed for photographs to mark her 16th birthday today.

Eléonore is the youngest child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, who are also parents to Princess Elisabeth, 22, Prince Gabriel, 20, and Prince Emmanuel, 18.

In the first of the new portraits, which were shared on the royal family's official Instagram page, the 16-year-old sat on the grand staircase at the Palace of Laeken.

Eléonore opted for a simple yet effective backdrop for the second portrait and stood smiling next to one of the palace gates.

Dressed in smart casual attire, the 16-year-old donned an elegant cream blouse and a pair of deep blue trousers for the occasion, sweeping her blonde hair over her shoulder in the snaps.

The Belgian Royal Palace has released two new portraits to mark Princess Eléonore of Belgium's 16th birthday today

The young royal accessorized her outfit with a pair of patent black loafers and a set of chic gold layered necklaces. 

The palace captioned the post: 'Princess Eléonore celebrates her 16th birthday today. Happy sweet sixteen!' 

As the youngest child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, Princess Elèonore tends to keep a low profile.

She is believed to attend school in Brussels, and occasionally joins her parents on royal engagements.

In September last year, Eléonore was snapped enjoying a night out with her mother, Queen Mathilde, 51. 

The royal duo were photographed attending 'Cassandra' the opera at La Monnaie Opera House in Brussels, alongside its director Peter De Caluwe.

Meanwhile she is known to be a keen violin player and has been seen playing the instrument a number of times in public.

In 2017, a charming video was released by the Belgian monarchy as she surprised her father on his birthday with a recital of Happy Birthday.

The royal, who is the youngest child of King Phillippe and Queen Mathilde, stunned in a striking pair of deep blue trousers 

The youngster was the picture of concentration as she serenaded the King, who watched on in delight.

And once she'd finished he stretched his arms out and went to envelope his daughter in a warm hug.

Meanwhile she also performed in public in December 2020 during the royal Christmas concert.

Princess Eleonore, who was wearing a blue dress for her performance, looked focused as she put on an impressive display of her mastery of violin during the concert.

She is also believed to love reading and art, and her favourite sports are cycling, swimming, skiing and sailing.

Eléonore is the youngest child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, who are also parents to Princess Elisabeth, 22, Prince Gabriel, 20, and Prince Emmanuel, 18 (pictured together without Gabriel) 

Princess Elèonore's elder sister Crown Princess Elisabeth is the heir to the throne.

A change in the law a decade ago made it possible for the eldest child, male or female, to ascend the throne in the country. She will become the country's first Queen Regent if she takes up the role.

Elisabeth spent 18 months boarding at UWC Atlantic College in South Wales before returning home to Brussels during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The princess, who received her International Baccalaureate Diploma in 2020, enrolled at Oxford University after completing a one-year course in social and military sciences at the Royal Military Academy.

The course is said to teach in-depth about the four components of Belgian defence; Army, Air Force, Navy and Medical.