Car salesman, 26, becomes Belgian prince after father acknowledges paternity

A 26-year-old car salesman in Belgium has become a prince overnight.

Prince Laurent of Belgium has legally acknowledged Clement Vandenkerckhove — born to a former partner before his marriage — as his son, according to the BBC and Belgian weekly magazine Soir Mag on Thursday. Prince Laurent is the younger brother of King Philippe.

The process of formally incorporating Clement into the royal family took place quietly at a municipal registry office in February, where Clement was also present and signed the documents.

Despite his new title, Clement does not enter the line of succession to the Belgian throne. The Belgian constitution grants succession rights only to children born of a government-approved marriage, Christian Behrendt, a constitutional law professor at the University of Liège, told The New York Times. Clement will also not attend official royal events.

He will not receive a royal allowance either. Since a 2013 legal reform, only four royals receive public stipends: King Philippe, former King Albert II, Prince Laurent and Princess Astrid.

Clement was born in 2000 to Prince Laurent and Belgian singer Wendy Van Wanten. Prince Laurent married Princess Claire in 2003.

Clement said he learned the identity of his father from his mother at age 16, and four years later summoned the courage to call him. After several phone calls, the two met in person. A DNA test showed a 99.5 percent match.

Clement said he is now entitled to take his father's surname, Saxe-Coburg, but has chosen not to. "I might want to, but I am proud of the name Vandenkerckhove," he said, adding that giving up the name would feel like a betrayal of everything his mother had done for him.

The Belgian royal family has faced questions of illegitimacy before. Former King Albert II acknowledged in 2020, after seven years of legal battles, that Delphine Boel was his daughter. Delphine subsequently received the title of Princess of Belgium. Albert II abdicated in 2013.