“My client has been concerned for months about her role in official events,” Delphine’s lawyer said.
Being recognized as an illegitimate child by your royal father: it is not easy. Princess Delphine, the daughter of the former Belgian King Albert who came from an affair, can talk about it. After years of struggle, she has received the recognition she wanted, but this week it became clear that the artist wants to go one step further.
DNA tests
She grew up as Delphine Boël, named after her then legal father, Jacques Boël. But after decades of rumors and a years-long battle in court, the news was finally confirmed on January 27, 2020. Yes, Delphine Boël was actually the daughter of King Albert and the Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps.
That was not very cordial. “Even though there are legal arguments and objections showing that legal paternity does not necessarily reflect biological paternity and that the procedure followed can be contested, King Albert has decided in good conscience to put an end to this painful procedure,” said Albert’s lawyer.
Princess
The recognition was not about the money or status, Delphine made it clear at the time. And for a few years it seemed that Delphine, now officially Princess Delphine of Saxe-Coburg, had completely found her niche as an illegitimate daughter within the royal family.
For example, Delphine appeared on stage alongside the other royals at Belgium’s National Day, and both sides of the family slowly got to know each other. Delphine later shared in conversation with Paris Match that contact with the Belgian royals was ‘very natural’. “When I saw my father again after many years, I felt that the contact was natural. It was very easy and I also experienced that with my brother and my sister (King Philippe and Princess Astrid, ed.),” said His Highness.
Equal treatment
Yet it now appears that this cautious reconciliation is now turning into a lot of legal wrangling. Several sources reported last week that Delphine has insisted on more equal treatment through her lawyer, Marc Uyttendaele. In a letter to Prime Minister Alexander de Croo it could be read that Delphine wants to be present at official state occasions and is treated with the same respect as Astrid and Laurent.
“My client has been concerned about her role in official events for months,” Het Laatste Nieuws reportedly read. “It strikes her that she is only invited to a few, such as July 21 (National Day, ed.) and the tribute to the deceased members of the royal family. But even there she is treated differently than her brother and sister, Prince Laurent and Princess Astrid.”
However, De Croo has already made it known that he does not like this. For example, Delphine is a private person, and her role is simply different because, unlike her brother and sister, she does not receive a grant from the treasury.
Confidential
Uyttendaele has now reacted with disappointment to the leak of the ‘confidential’ letter. “Princess Delphine has established that a confidential letter sent by her counselor to the Prime Minister was leaked to the press without her knowledge. She regrets this as it was never her intention to provoke any controversy,” the lawyer said.
Well, intention or not, this story will undoubtedly continue…
Source: The Daily Mail, De Morgen, HLN, Glamial archive | Image: NL Image
