A Belgian Car Salesman Became A Prince
- 20.08.2026, 20:04
His father, the king's brother, acknowledged paternity.
Clement Vandenkerkhoove , a 26-year-old Belgian who previously worked as a car salesman, has officially become the son of Prince Laurent—the younger brother of King Philippe of Belgium. Prince Laurent has recognized Clément as his son and heir, according to the BBC.
Clément is the out-of-wedlock son of Prince Laurent and Belgian singer Wendy van Vanten. His mother’s real name is Iris Vandenkerkhoove; Wendy van Vanten is her stage name. The romance between her and the prince took place even before Laurent married Princess Claire in 2003.
Clément was officially welcomed into the prince’s family about half a year ago, but this has only recently become widely known.
Despite his new status, Clément has not been granted all the privileges of members of the Belgian royal family. He formally holds the title of prince, but will not receive a state allowance, will not be in the line of succession, and will not participate in the royal family’s traditional official events. In this respect, he differs from his half-siblings—Princess Louise and Princes Émerick and Nicolas, who were born to Laurent and Claire during their legitimate marriage.
Clément had known for many years that his biological father was Prince Laurent. According to him, his mother told him this when he turned 16. However, until recently, he had not decided whether to take his father’s surname—Saxe-Coburg.
At the same time, the young man emphasizes that he is proud of the Vandenkerkhoove surname, which he inherited from his mother. He noted that giving it up would mean betraying everything his mother had done for him.
At age 20, Clément finally mustered the courage to call Prince Laurent. After several phone conversations, they met. Laurent suggested taking a DNA test to definitively confirm paternity.
They went to the hospital together. The prince offered to take the test first so that Clément would be less anxious. Later, the young man received a message from the lab: the result confirmed paternity with a 99.5% probability.
The Belgian public was already aware of Clément’s story even before this official acknowledgment. Last year, a documentary aired on local television in which Clément himself recounted how he met his father.
A similar story had already unfolded in Prince Laurent’s family. His father, former King Albert II of Belgium, also underwent a DNA test following a long-running legal dispute over paternity.
As a result, in 2020, he officially recognized the artist Delphine Boël as his out-of-wedlock daughter. Following her legal victory, Delphine received the title of princess and began using the surname Delphine of Saxe-Coburg.
The story of his out-of-wedlock daughter was one of the reasons Albert II abdicated the throne in 2013. His eldest son, Philippe—Laurent’s brother—then became king.
Like Delphine, Clément will not receive a state allowance. According to a law passed in Belgium in 2013, such payments are intended only for King Philippe, former King Albert II, Prince Laurent, and Princess Astrid—the sister of Philippe and Laurent.