Former car salesman becomes Belgian prince after being recognised as royal’s son

A 26-year-old former car salesman has officially become a Belgian prince after being legally recognised as the son of Prince Laurent, the younger brother of Belgium’s King Philippe.

Clément Vandenkerckhove has been formally recognised by Prince Laurent following years of speculation surrounding his parentage, making him a legal member of the Belgian royal family and an heir to his father’s private estate.

Prince Laurent, 62, publicly acknowledged in September 2025 that Clément was his biological son. However, the relationship has now been legally established following a visit by father and son to a civil registrar earlier this year, details of which have only recently emerged.

Clément was born following a relationship between Prince Laurent and Flemish singer and former model Iris Vandenkerckhove, better known by her stage name Wendy Van Wanten. He was born before Laurent married British-born Princess Claire in 2003.

For years, rumours circulated in Belgium about the identity of Clément’s father. He has previously spoken about discovering the truth about his parentage as a teenager and later developing a relationship with Prince Laurent.

The pair eventually underwent DNA testing, which confirmed their biological relationship. Laurent publicly acknowledged his son last year, saying that the pair had spoken openly about the circumstances in recent years.

The subsequent legal recognition has had a rather extraordinary consequence. Under Belgian rules governing royal titles, establishing Clément’s legal descent from Prince Laurent means he is entitled to become a Prince of Belgium.

It also makes him a full legal heir to his father’s private estate alongside Laurent’s three children with Princess Claire – Princess Louise and twin Princes Nicolas and Aymeric.

It does not, however, mean Clément is suddenly in line to become King of Belgium.

He will not enter the line of succession to the Belgian throne and will not receive a public royal allowance. He is also not expected to undertake official duties on behalf of the monarchy.

Clément has the right to adopt his father’s Saxe-Coburg family name but has indicated that he may continue using Vandenkerckhove because of the importance of his mother’s family and the role she played in raising him.

Despite the sudden change in his legal status, he has also played down the financial implications of becoming an heir, saying that developing a relationship with his father is more important to him than inheritance.

Prince Laurent is the youngest child of former King Albert II and Queen Paola and the younger brother of Belgium’s current monarch, King Philippe.

The story has inevitably drawn comparisons with another complicated chapter in the Belgian royal family’s history. Laurent’s half-sister, Princess Delphine, spent years seeking legal recognition as the daughter of former King Albert II before a DNA test established his paternity and she was legally recognised as a Belgian princess in 2020.

For Clément, however, the process has been considerably quieter. A young man who spent much of his life unable to speak openly about the identity of his father now finds himself officially part of one of Europe’s royal families – and able to call the King of Belgium his uncle.

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