Prince Laurent Officially Recognises Secret Son, Granting Him the Title of Prince

Prince Laurent, the younger brother of King Philippe, legally acknowledged 26-year-old Clément Vandenkerckhove as his son in a low-key town-hall ceremony six months ago. The registration with Belgium’s civil registry confers the princely title and equal inheritance rights to Laurent’s private estate alongside his half-sister Princess Louise and half-brothers Prince Aymeric and Prince Nicolas. The new prince will receive no royal allowance and is excluded from the line of succession.

CNN

Clément Vandenkerckhove was born in 2000 to Flemish singer-model Wendy Van Wanten after a brief relationship with Prince Laurent in the 1990s. His mother disclosed Laurent’s paternity when he turned 16; at 20 he contacted Laurent, leading to a DNA test that confirmed a 99.5 % match. The episode echoes former King Albert II’s acknowledgment of an illegitimate daughter, Delphine Boël, in 2020.

CNN

• 1990s – Laurent and Van Wanten meet at a Paris fashion show.

CNN

• 2000 – Birth of Clément Vandenkerckhove.

The Independent

• 2016 – Mother reveals Laurent’s identity.

CNN

• 2020 – Vandenkerckhove reaches out; DNA testing arranged.

The Independent

• 2025 – DNA results confirm a 99.5 % match; “open and honest conversations” begin.

CNN

• Early 2026 – Town-hall ceremony registers Vandenkerckhove as Laurent’s son, granting him the title and inheritance rights.

CNN

• DNA test: 99.5 % match.

BBC News

• Inheritance: equal share of Laurent’s private estate, comparable to his half-siblings.

CNN

• Royal allowance: none; only a limited group of royals receive public funds under the 2013 law.

BBC News

Laurent filed the paternity acknowledgment with the civil registry. In a televised interview, Vandenkerckhove said he values the personal relationship over any financial benefit and may retain his birth surname, noting that abandoning it would betray his mother’s sacrifices.

CNN

Vandenkerckhove described childhood anxiety over his unknown parentage and reports reduced anxiety after establishing a relationship with Laurent, focusing on the personal connection rather than the title or inheritance.

The Independent

Sources differ on the exact spelling of the royal house name Vandenkerckhove might adopt: “Saxe-Coburg” versus “van Saksen-Coburg.” No official decision has been announced. The ceremony’s timing is consistently described as “six months ago,” but precise dates are not provided.

The Independent

• “We went to the hospital together and I remember him saying, ‘I’ll go first so you’re feeling at ease,’” — Prince Laurent.

CNN

• “I am proud of the name Vandenkerck­hove. Sacrificing that surname would be a betrayal to everything my mother did for me.” — Clément Vandenkerckhove.

The Independent

The recognition expands the royal family’s composition without altering the constitutional line of succession. It highlights Belgium’s evolving approach to royal legitimacy and inheritance, reinforcing the 2013 framework that limits public allowances to a narrow set of royals.

BBC News