Prince Laurent of Belgium: He recognizes paternity from an adult

Prince Laurent (61), the younger brother of King Philippe (65) of Belgium, has confirmed that he was the father of an adult son. The prince said that he publicly recognizes the fatherhood of the 25 -year -old Clément Vandenkerckhove.

According to this, it says: “We have spoken openly and honestly about it in recent years. This announcement is based on an understanding and respect for those involved. It is the result of joint conversations.” In the future, Prince Laurent did not want to comment on the circumstances.

There were always rumors about the illegitimate son. Prince Laurent has been said to have had a love affair with the Flemish actress and singer Wendy van Wanten, bourgeois Iris Vandenkerckhove. The two are said to have met at a fashion show in Paris in the mid -1990s and together attended the wedding of the British Prince Edward (61) in 1991. Clément was born in 2000.

Prince Laurent has been married to Princess Claire (51) since 2003 and has three children: Princess Louise (21) and the twins Prince Nicolas and Prince Aymeric (19). According to royal regulations, Clément is said to be entitled to the title “His Royal Highness Clément, Prince of Belgium, Prince of Saxony-Coburg”. This does not change the Belgian sequence of the throne.

The fact that Prince Laurent recognizes his son now is no coincidence: On Tuesday evening, the Flemish TV station VTM should radiate a documentary entitled “Clément, Zoon van …” (German: Clément, son of …). One says: “This is Clément, son of Wendy van Wanten. He speaks for the first time and answers the question: Who is his father?”

With the recognition of the paternity of an illegitimate adult son, Prince Laurent joins his own father’s footsteps. The ex-king Albert II (91) recognized the fatherhood of his daughter Delphine Boël, born in 1968 in 1968 in 1968. She also received the title Princess of Belgium and the same rights as his other children.