Prince Gabriel of Belgium celebrated his 23rd birthday with a surprising glimpse into how he spent part of his summer, and the adventure came with a special connection to his family's royal history.
Instead of releasing a traditional formal birthday portrait, the Belgian Royal Palace shared striking photos of the prince high in the mountains, dressed in full climbing gear as he made his way across the glaciers and peaks of the Mont Blanc massif.
© Koninklijk Paleis/Palais royalThe adventurous trip took Gabriel to the Refuge Albert Ier, a mountain hut in the French Alps named in honor of King Albert I of Belgium. The late monarch, Belgium's third king and Gabriel's great-great-great-grandfather, was a passionate and accomplished mountaineer.
The refuge sits at an altitude of around 2,700 meters above the Glacier du Tour and remains an important base for mountaineering in the Mont Blanc massif. Its official website notes that it was named for Albert I, whose passion for climbing became an important part of his legacy.
Following a royal passion generations later:
King Albert I's connection to the mountains went far beyond a casual interest. The monarch became known for his love of alpinism and spent years climbing in the Alps. He died in 1934 following a fall while climbing near Marche-les-Dames in Belgium.
© Koninklijk Paleis/Palais royalNearly a century later, Gabriel's own journey to the refuge bearing his ancestor's name created a meaningful link between two generations of the Belgian royal family.
In the new photos, the young prince can be seen wearing a helmet, sunglasses, gloves, and climbing equipment while surrounded by the dramatic Alpine landscape. Another image shows him navigating the icy terrain while attached to climbing ropes.
© Hulton ArchiveThe Palace revealed the images on August 20 in celebration of Gabriel turning 23, explaining that his sporty summer vacation had taken him across the glaciers and peaks of the Mont Blanc massif and all the way to the refuge honoring Albert I.
Following the demanding adventure, the Palace said Gabriel was ready to enter his 24th year.
© Koninklijk Paleis/Palais royalThe trip also offered royal watchers a more personal look at Gabriel, the second child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde and younger brother of Princess Elisabeth.
While the future queen has increasingly stepped into the spotlight as heir to the Belgian throne, Gabriel has been carving out a path of his own, with much of his recent focus centered on his education and military training.
© NICOLAS MAETERLINCKAnd for his latest birthday, the Palace chose to show a very different side of the prince, swapping formal royal surroundings for crampons, climbing ropes and the glaciers of Mont Blanc.
