Royal family scandal: Prince admits secret son—5 years after King’s hidden daughter shocker

Sometimes real life is stranger than fiction, and such seems the life of a Royal family. But this time, it isn't the British royal family that's making the headlines; instead its the Royal family of Belgium that has been rocked by yet another revelation. On September 9, 2025, Prince Laurent of Belgium publicly acknowledged that he is the biological father of 25-year-old Clément Vandenkerckhove, finally putting an end to years of speculation about his son out of wedlock!


According to Belga News Agency, the 61-year-old prince issued a statement confirming his paternity. The statment read, "With this message, I acknowledge that I am the biological father of Clément Vandenkerckhove. We have spoken openly and honestly about this over the past few years. This announcement is based on a sense of understanding and respect for those involved. It is the result of joint consultation."

For the unversed, Prince Laurent is the younger brother of King Philippe of Belgium. Prince Laurent is married to Princess Claire since 2003 and the royal couple have three children together — Princess Louise, 21, and 19-year-old twins Prince Nicolas and Prince Aymeric.




However, despite his current family life, Prince Laurent has faced rumours of a relationship with Flemish actress and singer Wendy van Wanten (real name: Iris Vandenkerckhove) for many years. Infact, reports suggest that Laurent and Iris first met at a Paris fashion show in the 1990s and even attended Prince Edward’s wedding together in 1999. This was before he got married to Princess Claire.But, Clément was born in 2000 and whispers were loud that Prince Laurent might be his father! Clément’s name itself reportedly hinted at royal connections, with speculation linking it to Villa Clémentine, the residence of King Albert (Prince Laurent's father) in Tervuren.For years, neither Laurent nor Wendy confirmed the rumours of having a child together out of wedlock. Wendy later admitted their relationship lasted about seven years. Their son Clément also avoided the subject until recently. In a 2021 interview on VRT 1’s show Het Huis, he dismissed questions about his father’s identity, calling it a “fairy tale” that stirred up “a lot of emotions.”
Now, that fairy tale has turned into fact. Alongside Prince Laurent’s public acknowledgment, Flemish channel VTM also recently released a documentary titled 'Clément, Son of…' on September 9. In it, Clément finally opened up about his story, saying:
"My dad didn’t do anything wrong, my mom didn’t do anything wrong. I want to live a normal life and not constantly hear, ‘Do you really know who your dad is?’ I just want this behind me… I want to go have a beer with my dad."


Will Prince Laurent's son out of wedlock get a royal title?
Royal experts note that Clément may even be entitled to a royal title. Journalist Rick Evers reported that, under a 2015 Royal Decree, Clément could be styled as “His Royal Highness Clément, Prince of Belgium, Prince of Saxe-Coburg,” since he is a male-line descendant of King Albert.


This isn’t the first time Belgium has faced a royal paternity revelation. In 2020, former King Albert II — who abdicated in 2013 — admitted after a long legal battle that artist Delphine Boël was his biological daughter. Following DNA tests, Delphine won full legal recognition and the right to use the title Princess of Belgium.


With Prince Laurent’s announcement, the Belgian royal family finds itself once again under the spotlight, proving that behind palace walls, secrets can only stay hidden for so long.