A Belgian prince shocked the world after admitting that he has a secret 25-year-old son, whom he has spoken to over the past few years.
Prince Laurent of Belgium, the younger brother of King Philippe, publicly acknowledged the existence of his child, Clement Vandenkerckhove. He admitted to being the young man's biological father.
Belgian Royal Prince Laurent Admits to Having a Secret Son
The royal's announcement was made on a "sense of understanding and respect for those involved." Prince Laurent also asked the public to receive the information with the restraint that the nature of this intimate matter requires.
Prince Laurent added that he will not be making any further statements or providing further explanations regarding the matter at hand. The surprising development comes ahead of the documentary, "Clement, Son of...," where the 25-year-old talks about his royal paternity publicly for the first time.
The man's mother is Iris Vandenkerckhove, a model, actress, and singer whose stage name is Wendy Van Wanten. She reportedly met Prince Laurent in the mid-1990s, resulting in them being publicly linked, according to Town and Country Mag.
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The actress later joined Prince Laurent at Prince Edward and Sophie's royal wedding, which was held in 1999. The next year, she welcomed a son, Clement, and the public quickly speculated that the Belgian royal she had been with was the father.
The rumors were further supported by the idea that the boy was given a name that is supposedly a clear reference to Villa Clementine, which is Prince Laurent's residence in Tervuren.
Confirming a Long-Running Rumor
Prince Laurent met Claire Coombs, his future wife, in the early 2000s. She was a surveyor from Chaumont-Gistoux. The couple had their wedding on Apr. 12, 2003, and have since had three children together, the Belga News Agency reported.
Their three children are Louise and twins Nicolas and Asymeric, who were born in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Prince Laurent and Coombs still live together despite rumors spreading around about a marital crisis, which the royal has repeatedly denied.
Prince Laurent's father, King Albert, also recognized an illegitimate child in 2020, following a long legal battle by the now Princess Delphine. The latter was born during the marriage of Albert and Paola.
During the legal drama, Delphine's lawyer clarified what she wanted to achieve in her proceedings. They noted that her position is not that she wants or does not want to be a princess, but simply wants to avoid being a cut-price child. She wants to have exactly the same privileges, titles, and capacities as her brothers and sisters, as per E! News.
