Belgian Car Salesman Acknowledged as Royal Prince

Belgium’s Prince Laurent has officially acknowledged 26-year-old Clément Vandenkerckhove as his son and heir during a recent town hall ceremony. Vandenkerckhove, who was born from Prince Laurent’s relationship with Belgian singer Wendy Van Wanten, now takes on the title of prince, but notably, he will not receive a royal allowance.

The ceremony, which took place six months ago, has only come to light more recently. Clément expressed mixed feelings about his new royal title, stating he is still unsure whether to adopt his father’s name, Saxe-Coburg. “I might want to do that, but I am proud of the name Vandenkerckhove,” he shared with the media. He further remarked, “If I were to sacrifice that family name, it would be a betrayal of everything my mother has done for me.”

While Clément adopts the title of prince, he will not be in line for the Belgian throne, contrasting with his half-sister, Princess Louise, and half-brothers, Prince Aymeric and Prince Nicolas. His involvement in royal matters will also be limited, as he will not participate in public royal activities.

Vandenkerckhove is not a stranger to the public; he gained some fame last September through a Flemish television documentary where he shared the story of how he discovered his father’s identity. The prince became an unexpected figure in Clément’s life, first meeting him in a shopping mall back in 2013, without recognizing him. It was only at 16 that his mother revealed his connection to Prince Laurent.

Clément spoke candidly about the moment he decided to reach out to his father, recalling, “Four years later I plucked up the courage to ring him up, and after several more calls, we met in person. Eventually, Prince Laurent suggested we take a DNA test.”

During the visit to the hospital for the DNA test, Clément reminisced about Prince Laurent’s supportive gesture: “I remember him saying, ‘I’ll go first so you’re feeling at ease.'” Shortly after, an email confirmed a 99.5% DNA match.

Prince Laurent’s situation is reminiscent of his father, former King Albert II, who faced his own paternity issues. In 2020, King Albert admitted to having fathered a daughter during an affair, leading to a royal scandal that resulted in her being recognized as part of the royal family.

Under Belgian law since 2013, only specific royal family members, such as King Philippe, King Albert II, Prince Laurent, and Princess Astrid, are qualified to receive public funding.