Prince Laurent of Belgium, the younger brother of King Philippe of Belgium, acknowledges secret son
Prince Laurent of Belgium has recognised Clement Vandenkerckhove, 25, as his own son.
After persistent rumours after many years, Prince Laurent, the younger brother of King Phillippe of Belgium, has acknowledged he has a secret son, Clement Vandenkerckhove, who is 25. Belga News agency reported that “In a communication to Belga, the prince says he "publicly recognises" the paternity of Clement Vandenkerckhove, thereby confirming a widespread and long-running rumour. Laurent also has three children with Princess Claire, whom he married in 2003.”
The mother of Clement Vandenkerckhove, 25, is actress and singer Wendy van Wanten, whose real name is Iris Vandenkerckhove. Clement was born in 2000 and it is believed that the couple met in the mid 1990s when they were both single.
Prince Laurent of Belgium married his wife, Princess Claire in 2003 and the couple share three children: Princess Louise, 21, and twins Prince Nicolas and Prince Aymeric, 19. It is not yet known why Prince Laurent has now shared the news about his secret son, but it is likely that he made the announcement as VTM announced yesterday (Tuesday September 9) that it would broadcast a documentary that same night called "Clément, Son of...", where Clement Vandenkerckhove speaks out publicly about his father.
According to Nieuwsblad, Clement said in the documentary that "I was only born, and things were already being said about me," he says. "That was my normal life. Now I can say it in my own words. I'm 25 now, and I just think: we're all human.
Nieuwsblad also reported that Clement said: “My dad didn't do anything wrong, my mom didn't do anything wrong. I want to be able to live a normal life and not constantly be told, 'Do you even know who your father is?' 'Is he dead yet?' I want to be done with that. I just want to go for a beer with my dad."
In January 2020, Prince Laurent of Belgium’s father, King Albert II, the former King of Belgium, admitted that he was the father of an illegitimate daughter, born from an affair. In a statement, he said that he wanted to “put an end to this painful procedure with honour and dignity”.
After taking a paternity test, the former monarch confirmed that he was the father of artist Delphine Boel, born over 50 years ago. The Telegraph reported at the time that Delphine’s “mother is Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps, a Belgian aristocrat married to a wealthy industrialist. Ms Boel and her mother moved to England when she was nine.
According to The Telegraph, “Ms Boël went to boarding schools in England and Switzerland, and studied at the Chelsea School of Art and Design in London, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts.”