Belgium's Prince Laurent has legally recognised 26-year-old Clément Vandenkerckhove, a former car salesman, as his son.
The recognition took place at a town hall ceremony about six months ago. Details of the formal step have only recently become public.
Vandenkerckhove is the son of Prince Laurent and Belgian singer Wendy Van Wanten, whose real name is Iris Vandenkerckhove. The relationship occurred before the prince's marriage to Princess Claire in 2003.
Through the legal recognition, Vandenkerckhove formally becomes a prince. He will not receive a royal allowance and will not take part in public royal activities.
He has said he is not yet sure whether he will begin using his father's family name, Saxe-Coburg.
Vandenkerckhove featured in a Flemish television documentary in September 2025. In it, he described how he came to know his father. He first met Prince Laurent by chance in a shopping centre in 2013 without realising his identity. His mother told him who his father was when he was 16. Four years later he contacted the prince. They later took a DNA test that showed a 99.5 percent match.
Prince Laurent is the brother of King Philippe. The recognition gives Vandenkerckhove equal inheritance rights to the prince's private estate alongside his half-siblings.
Reviewed by Admin
on
August 20, 2026
Rating:
