A long-standing mystery surrounding the Belgian royal family has been resolved with Prince Laurent, the King’s brother, revealing that he is the father of a previously undisclosed son.
At the age of 61, Prince Laurent has acknowledged his paternity of 25-year-old Clement Vandenkerckhove, born from his past relationship with Wendy van Wanten, also known as Iris Vandenkerckhove, a well-known Flemish actress and singer.
In a statement released through the Belga News Agency, the Prince stated that he is the biological father of Clement Vandenkerckhove, emphasizing that the disclosure was made after open and honest discussions in recent years. He urged discretion in handling this private matter and stated that no further comments or clarifications would be provided.
Speculations regarding Laurent’s fatherhood had circulated for years, particularly regarding his relationship with Wendy, whom he reportedly met at a fashion show in Paris during the mid-1990s. Their son, Clement, was born in 2000, with many noting the striking resemblance between father and son.
Prince Laurent, the younger sibling of King Philippe of Belgium, has been wedded to Princess Claire since 2003, with whom he shares three children: Princess Louise, aged 21, and twin sons Prince Nicolas and Prince Aymeric, both 19 years old.
The revelation from Prince Laurent coincided with the premiere of a documentary on Flemish TV channel VTM titled “Clément, Son of…” where his son, Clement, expressed his thoughts about his father publicly for the first time.
Prince Laurent, who is the second son and third child of former King Albert II and Queen Paola, is currently 15th in line for succession to the throne. However, due to Clement’s birth from a relationship outside of marriage, he is unlikely to feature in the line of succession according to reports from HELLO.
This disclosure by Laurent follows a similar revelation by his father, King Albert, who admitted to fathering artist Delphine Boël after a legal dispute that lasted seven years. Delphine and her descendants do not have a place in the Belgian line of succession, though they were granted the titles of prince and princess by the court in October 2020 and have since partaken in various royal engagements.
King Albert, now 91 years old, abdicated in 2013 due to health reasons, passing the throne to his eldest son, Philippe.