A man has revealed the moment he found out he is the love child of Prince Laurent of Belgium – conceived the same year the royal met his British wife.
Clement Vandenkerckhove, 25, recalled the moment his mother sat him down and told him his father is the younger brother of King Philippe of Belgium.
In a new documentary by Belgian broadcaster VTM, Clement said that his mother’s exact words when telling him the truth about his father were: ‘Your daddy is a prince. Your daddy is that man.’
His first thoughts after hearing those words were: ‘If he is a prince, what am I? My uncle is the king of Belgium!’
Clement is the child of 80s popstar Wendy Van Wanten and Prince Laurent, but the royal – who is now married to Bath-born Princess Claire (neé Coombs) – had not acknowledged his existence publicly prior to this week.
Prince Laurent, 61, confirmed the news in a statement and said: ‘With this announcement, I acknowledge that I am the biological father of Clement Vandenkerckhove. We have spoken openly and honestly about this in recent years.
‘This announcement is based on a sense of understanding and respect for those involved. It is the result of joint consultation. I kindly request that you receive this information with the discretion that the nature of this intimate matter requires. I will not make any further statements or provide any further explanation on this matter.’
Clement also recounted what it felt like to make contact with his birth father.
Clement Vandenkerckhove, 25, recalled the moment his mother sat him down and told him his father was Prince Laurent in a new documentary by Belgian broadcaster VTM
Prince Laurent, 61, who has been married to Princess Claire, 51, since 2003, publicly acknowledged that he is Clement’s biological father in a statement for the first time
‘Suddenly I’m handed a number,’ he continued. ‘I think: “That’s his number, that’s just really his”. So I call…and that phone rings. Really, my heart was in my throat.’
He also addressed feelings of past confusion about not knowing his biological father and wondering where he came from.
‘Sometimes, that question would come back: “Do you actually know who your father is?”,’ he told the documentary. ‘Is he dead? I’d just want to be with my dad… going for a pint.’
Elsewhere, Clement also said that he didn’t place any blame on his mother Wendy or Prince Laurent for their history.
‘We’re all human, right? Neither my father nor my mother did anything wrong,’ he explained. ‘So I just want to be able to go through life normally.’
Wendy admitted she was ‘maybe a little naïve in thinking I could keep [Clement’s heritage] quiet’.
Belgian royal expert Mario Danneels told The Brussels Times that the news of Prince Laurent’s paternity did not come as a ‘surprise’ – because Wendy had previously ‘dropped hints in her song lyrics’.
He also said the physical resemblance between Prince Laurent and Clement was clear, and that Clement’s name was a reference to the prince’s residence in Tervuren, Villa Clémentine.
Clement’s mother, 80s star Wendy Van Wanten, was never confirmed to have been in a relationship with the prince, but the pair were spotted at events in the late 90s together – and notably, attended Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie’s wedding together
Speculating on why it has taken over two decades to confirm that Clement was the Prince’s son, Mario said that tensions in the Royal Palace of Brussels contributed to the silence.
‘A courtier once confided in me that there were heated arguments about it between Laurent and Albert,’ he claimed.
The relationship between Prince Laurent and Wendy was never officially confirmed although they were seen attending events together in the late 1990s, including Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie’s wedding.
Clement was born in 2000, the same year Prince Laurent is understood to have met Claire, who was born in Bath to a British father and Belgian mother.
Rumours have swirled since Clement’s birth over who his father was. In 2021, he even appeared on a Flemish documentary to deny the claims that he was the Prince’s son.
Appearing on the series Het Huis, Clement told the programme: ‘It won’t be the answer you expect.
Clement, who in the programme said he wants to put an end to discussions that have ‘overshadowed’ his life for years, has long been suspected of being related to the royal, but had in 2021 denied the rumours
He also addressed feeling confusion about not knowing his biological father and wondering who he comes from. Pictured with Wendy
‘I think it’s very fairytale-like that everyone thinks that, which is great. But fairytales are just fairytales, if you know what I mean.
‘Can you picture me standing in line to the throne? It’s good to talk about it. On the one hand, it’s not fun because it stirs up emotions, but on the other hand, this is for the best. I want to be able to put it behind me, to no longer have it haunt me.’
Now, four years on, he has made another TV appearance to confirm that the rumours are true, saying he wants to put an end to speculation that has ‘overshadowed’ his life for years.
The Daily Mail has contacted the Belgian Royal Family for comment. It is understood that the line of succession will not be affected by the announcement, which comes five years after Prince Laurent’s father, King Albert II, publicly acknowledged his own love child, Princess Delphine.
Meanwhile, Princess Claire was reportedly introduced to the Prince at a friend’s house and they bonded over helping do the dishes together after dinner.
Claire, who trained as a land surveyor, was born to a British father and Belgian mother and has two siblings. The family moved from the UK to Belgium when she was three years old.
According to La Libre, the family largely spoke English at home and Claire holds dual citizenship, but she said she ‘feels Belgian’.
Speaking to the outlet, she admitted she had ‘learned a lot’ from her husband and albeit feeling nervous about being in the spotlight at first, has become used to it.
‘It didn’t bother me. Everything happened naturally,’ she shared. ‘Of course, I am recognized from time to time. But if people spend their time watching me work, they will quickly get bored.’
The couple announced their engagement in 2002, and in an interview to mark the occasion the Prince praised his bride’s ‘spontaneity’ and love of children. At the time, Belgian press hailed the future Princess as ‘very British’ and noted that she was discreet and reserved to the point of being secretive.
Prince Laurent and Princess Clare have three children together: Princess Louise, 21 – and twins Prince Nicolas and Prince Aymeric, both 19.
Meanwhile, Wendy – who was known for hosting the erotic Flemish TV show De Pin Up Club – is now married to her husband Frans Vancoppenolle and shares 17-year-old daughter Estelle with him. She also has a second son, Dylan, who was born in 1984.
