Belgian car salesman becomes prince after DNA test proves royal parentage
A 26-year-old Belgian car salesman has been legally recognized as the son of Prince Laurent after a DNA test confirmed his royal parentage. While he gains inheritance rights, he will not receive a royal allowance or official duties, and he has expressed a desire to keep his mother's surname.
Why it matters
This story illustrates the intersection of modern legal processes and traditional royal lineage, highlighting how private family matters are increasingly resolved through scientific verification.
A Belgian car salesman has become a prince at the age of 26 after being acknowledged as the son of the king’s brother, Prince Laurent. Clément Vandenkerckhove’s mother, a Belgian singer who had a relationship with Prince Laurent in the 1990s, only told him who his father was when he turned 16 a decade ago. It emerged this week that he was legally recognized as the son and heir of the 63-year-old younger brother of King Philippe, at a low-key town hall ceremony about six months ago after a DNA test proved his link to the royal family. Prince Laurent has registered his paternity of Vandenkerckhove with Belgium’s civil registry, The Telegraph reported on Wednesday.
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