From Showroom to Palace: How a 26-Year-Old Car Salesman in Belgium Discovered His Royal Bloodline

A 26-year-old former car salesman, Clement Vandenkerckhove, has been reportedly legally recognised as the son of Belgium's Prince Laurent six months after a quiet ceremony at a local town hall.

The acknowledgement follows a DNA test that confirmed a 99.5% genetic match between the royal and Vandenkerckhove. Despite gaining royal parentage, Vandenkerckhove will not receive a public allowance, nor will he join the Belgian royal line of succession or participate in official royal engagements.

Prince Laurent, who married Princess Claire in 2003, had been in a relationship with Belgian singer Wendy Van Wanten, whose real name is Iris Vandenkerckhove, prior to his marriage.

Developments in the royal recognition:

• DNA test conducted at a hospital confirmed a 99.5% genetic match between Prince Laurent and Clément Vandenkerckhove.
• Formal recognition took place six months ago during a town hall ceremony, though details have only recently surfaced.
• Vandenkerckhove remains excluded from the line of succession, public activities, and state allowances, unlike his royal half-siblings.

Unexpected meeting and identity revelation

Vandenkerckhove first encountered Prince Laurent unexpectedly in a shopping centre in 2013, unaware of his identity. It was only at the age of 16 that his mother disclosed who his biological father was.

Four years later, Vandenkerckhove reportedly  phoned the prince. After a series of telephone conversations, the two met in person, prompting Prince Laurent to suggest a DNA test. Recalling the hospital visit during a Flemish television documentary broadcast on VTM last September, Vandenkerckhove shared that the prince went first to put him at ease before the laboratory later emailed the positive result.

Historical parallels in the Belgian monarchy

The case echoes a past legal battle involving Prince Laurent's father, former King Albert II, who acknowledged fathering an illegitimate daughter following a prolonged legal fight. Former King Albert II abdicated in 2013 amidst the public controversy, later admitting paternity in 2020 after court-ordered DNA testing. His daughter, artist Delphine Boel, eventually secured the right to the royal title and now uses the name Delphine de Saxe-Coburg.

Under Belgian legal amendments enacted in 2013, state allowances are restricted to a limited circle of the royal family, namely King Philippe, former King Albert II, Prince Laurent, and Princess Astrid. Consequently, Vandenkerckhove remains outside the scope of official royal funding alongside his half-sister Princess Louise and half-brothers Prince Aymeric and Prince Nicolas.