A 26 year old Belgian man has been legally recognized as the son of Prince Laurent, the younger brother of King Philippe. The move has brought a long kept family story into the public eye and gives the young man a new place within the Belgian royal family.
Clément Vandenkerckhove was formally recognized by Prince Laurent through Belgium’s civil registry. The legal step was made earlier this year, but details became public this week. It confirms Clément as Laurent’s son and gives him the same legal inheritance rights as his father’s other children.
Clément was born in August 2000 to Iris Vandenkerckhove, a Belgian singer and former model better known as Wendy Van Wanten. She had a relationship with Prince Laurent in the 1990s, before he married Princess Claire in 2003.
For years, questions about Clément’s father were part of Belgian public life. The prince did not formally confirm the relationship until 2025. He then said that he was Clément’s biological father.
The latest legal move is different from that public statement. It gives the relationship full legal status under Belgian law. It also makes Clément a legal heir to Prince Laurent’s private estate.
Clément now has the same inheritance rights as Laurent’s three children with Princess Claire. They are Princess Louise and twins Prince Nicolas and Prince Aymeric. The four children can therefore share in their father’s private estate under the rules that apply to his family.
The recognition also gives Clément a link to the Belgian royal title system. Once his parentage was legally established, he became eligible for the title of Prince of Belgium. Belgian legal experts have said the title follows from his status as the son of a prince.
However, the new status does not mean Clément will have an official role. He will not carry out royal duties on behalf of the state. He will also not receive a public allowance.
His position is also different from that of people who are close to the throne. Clément will not enter the line of succession to the Belgian crown. His birth outside marriage means that he does not have a claim to the throne under Belgium’s rules of succession.
Clément can also seek to use his father’s family name, Saxe Coburg. He has not shown a clear wish to give up the name Vandenkerckhove, which is closely linked to his mother.
The story has drawn attention because of the unusual path that brought Clément into the royal family. He has lived most of his life outside royal circles. He has worked as a car salesman and has a strong interest in cars and horses.
The relationship between father and son has grown in recent years. Clément has spoken about spending time with Prince Laurent and building a bond after many years of uncertainty.
The family story also has a recent royal precedent. In 2020, former King Albert II legally recognized Delphine Boël as his daughter after a long legal dispute. She later received the title of Princess of Belgium.
Clément’s case has been far less public and did not require the same long court fight. His legal recognition was made through the civil registry after Prince Laurent had already accepted that he was the father.
The change does not alter the Belgian line of succession. It does, however, expand the family of the Belgian royal house and gives Clément legal rights that he did not have before.
For Prince Laurent, the decision closes a long chapter in his personal life. For Clément, it creates a formal link with his father and gives him equal inheritance rights within that branch of the royal family.
His new status is unlikely to change his daily life at once. He remains free to work and live outside official royal duties. Yet his legal recognition marks a major change in his place within Belgium’s royal family.
The story also shows that royal families can face many of the same private family issues as other families. In Clément’s case, years of questions have now been replaced by a formal legal relationship with his father.
