From Car Salesman to Prince: 26-Year-Old Officially Recognized as Son of Belgium’s Prince Laurent

Belgium’s Prince Laurent has officially confirmed his paternity of Clement Vandenkerckhove, the 26-year-old who previously worked as a car salesman, also recognizing him as his heir.

Clement is the son of the prince’s former relationship with Belgian singer Wendy Van Wanten. He joined Laurent’s family in a private ceremony held quietly six months ago.

Although he now officially holds the title of prince, he will not receive financial income from the royal family. Nor will he be included in the royal line of succession or take part in the royal family’s public engagements.

Vandenkerckhove has spoken in Belgium about his years-long efforts to come to terms with having a royal father. He recently said that he has still not decided whether to use his father’s surname, Saxe-Coburg.

“Perhaps I would like to, but I am proud of the name Vandenkerchkove,” he said. “If I had to sacrifice the name, it would be a betrayal of everything my mother has done for me.”

The story of how they came to know each other was also told in a documentary broadcast last year. Prince Laurent had been in a relationship with Wendy Van Wanten, whose real name is Iris Vandenkerchkove, before marrying Princess Claire in 2003.

Clement said he met his father at a shopping center in 2013, without knowing his true identity. He was 16 when his mother revealed who his father was.

Four years later, he contacted the prince and proposed that they take a DNA test. The result confirmed a 99.5% match.

This is not the first case of its kind in the Belgian royal family. Years earlier, former King Albert II had acknowledged that he had an illegitimate daughter.