Belgium's Princess Eléonore returns to school as COVID-19 rules begin to ease in Europe

With coronavirus restrictions beginning to ease across Europe, children are returning to the school yard — including Belgium's Princess Eléonore.

On Friday, the 12-year-old was dropped off at St. John Berchmans College in Brussels by her father King Philippe. While the monarch wore a face mask, Eléonore did not.

The opening of the princess' school last week was a trial run before final-year students are approved to return to class in smaller groups.

According to Reuters, the school has taken social distancing measures including arrows to direct the flow of students in hallways, as well as temperature checks.

"Thank you to school administrators, teachers and educators for the preparations and adaptations aimed at allowing a partial and gradual return of students," the Belgian Royal Palace wrote on Twitter.

Denmark's Prince Henrik, 11, and Princess Athena, eight, are also returning to school in Paris this month.

The royal siblings and their parents Prince Joachim and Princess Marie moved back to the French capital last week, having spent the last eight weeks in Denmark.

Henrik and Athena had been completing their school work from home, as have their cousins — the four children of Princess Mary and Prince Frederik.

In a video message to the Danish public in March, the Crown Princess referenced the family's adjustment to life in lockdown.

"It is the second week of distance education, and it has required some transformation for both the children and parents," Mary admitted.

Nine-year-old Prince Vincent interjected, declaring: "I think distance education is very boring."

Over in the UK, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have also dipped their toes into the world of remote learning with their two eldest children.

Kate Middleton has admitted home schooling Prince George, six, and Princess Charlotte five, has been "challenging".

"George gets very upset because he just wants to do all of Charlotte's projects," the mum-of-three told This Morning.

"Making spider sandwiches is far cooler than doing literacy work."

Speaking to the BBC over Easter, Kate added that she'd told the children a white lie to maintain some home schooling momentum.

"We don't tell the children we've actually kept going through the holidays. I feel very mean," she said.