BELGIAN PRINCE LAURENT RECOGNISES SON AFTER 26 YEARS

Belgium's Prince Laurent has legally recognised Clément Vandenkerckhove, a 26-year-old former car salesman, as his son and heir following a DNA test. A town hall ceremony took place six months ago, although details emerged only recently. The DNA test confirmed a 99.5 per cent match between Prince Laurent and Mr Vandenkerckhove. Mr Vandenkerckhove is the result of a relationship between the prince and Belgian singer Wendy Van Wanten, whose real name is Iris Vandenkerckhove.

Mr Vandenkerckhove was born before Prince Laurent married Princess Claire in 2003. He first met the prince unexpectedly in a shopping centre in 2013 without knowing his identity, and only learned his father's identity at age 16. Four years later he contacted Prince Laurent by telephone, and the two eventually agreed to take a DNA test together. Mr Vandenkerckhove said he remains proud of his mother's surname and expressed uncertainty about adopting his father's name, Saxe-Coburg, telling a Belgian publication that doing so would constitute "a betrayal of everything my mother has done for me".

Mr Vandenkerckhove will formally hold the title of prince and is entitled to a share of his father's inheritance. He will not, however, receive a royal allowance, take part in public royal activities, or enter the line of succession. His half-siblings Princess Louise and Prince Aymeric and Prince Nicolas remain ahead of him in the succession. Mr Vandenkerckhove was the subject of a Flemish television documentary in September 2025 in which he discussed his relationship with his father.