Rags to riches: Car salesman becomes Belgian prince after DNA test confirms royal paternity

BRUSSELS: In a remarkable transition from an ordinary life to royal status, a 26-year-old Belgian car salesman has been formally recognised as the son of Prince Laurent, ushering a long-concealed paternity saga straight into the heart of the Belgian monarchy, ABC News reported.

Prince Laurent of Belgium established formal legal parentage with his son, Clement Vandenkerckhove, during a civil ceremony at a town hall six months ago, though details surrounding the event have only recently come to light.

The official recognition was initially uncovered by Belgian weekly publication Soir Mag, which indicated that the newly acknowledged prince is set to obtain an equal portion of his father’s estate following the legal status change. Addressing the outcome, Vandenkerckhove told the publication that he held little regard for legal technicalities, emphasising instead the “chance to get to know his father”.

According to ABC News, the 26-year-old is the offspring of King Philippe’s brother and model-singer Wendy Van Wanten. The identity of his royal father has been the focus of persistent speculation over the years.

A Belgian car salesman became a prince after Prince Laurent, King Philippe’s brother, legally recognized him as his secret son.

Clément Vandenkerckhove, 26, was born in 2000 to socialite Wendy Van Wanten after her relationship with Laurent in the 90s.

He now has the same… pic.twitter.com/tqEGTI7CY2

— NewsForce (@Newsforce) August 21, 2026

Born in 2000, Vandenkerckhove shares a distinct physical likeness to Prince Laurent. Furthermore, his first name has frequently been viewed as a reference to Villa Clementine, the prince’s residence in Tervuren, while Van Wanten dropped subtle clues within her musical works.

His existence was formally acknowledged by Prince Laurent only last year, with the royal stating that the two had “spoken openly and honestly about this in recent years”.

ABC News noted that Vandenkerckhove discovered Prince Laurent was his biological father when he was 16 years old. He subsequently initiated contact with the royal at age 20.

Reflecting on the psychological toll of his upbringing, he shared his experience with the Flemish daily Het Nieuwsblad earlier this month. “My entire childhood, I struggled with the question ‘Who is my father?’ When I found out, the secrecy weighed incredibly heavy,” he said.

As reported by ABC News, Vandenkerckhove indicated that he intends to retain his existing family name rather than adopting his father’s house name, Saxe-Coburg. “Giving up this family name would be a betrayal of everything my mother has done for me,” he added.

Prince Laurent shares three other children with his wife, Princess Claire of Belgium, whom he wed in 2003. The development follows a similar royal lineage dispute in 2020, when King Albert II recognised an illegitimate daughter, now Princess Delphine, following a prolonged legal campaign. Albert II stepped down from the Belgian throne in 2013 as the paternity dispute escalated into a broader public controversy. (ANI)