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Wednesday, 26 August 2026dailybeirut.com
Lifestyle
In February 2026, a 26-year-old man signed a document that permanently changed his legal identity, officially recognizing him as Prince Clement van den Kerchove—the newest member of Belgium's royal family. Born from a secret relationship between Prince Laurent and singer Iris van den Kerchove, he grew up unaware of his royal lineage until discovering the truth at 16.
In February 2026, in front of a civil registrar, a 26-year-old man signed a document that changed his legal identity forever.
Clement himself was present alongside his father and signed the official document.
This was neither a marriage nor an inheritance, but a formal acknowledgment of paternity that made Clement van den Kerchove, a restaurant kitchen worker in Belgium, a new prince in this European country.
Once his parentage was legally established, bearing the title of Prince of Belgium became automatic, without requiring a separate royal decree or approval from the king.
Clement is the son of Prince Laurent, brother of King Philippe of Belgium, from a relationship with the famous Belgian singer Iris van den Kerchove, known as "Wendy van Wanten." They met in Paris in 1995 and had Clement in 2000 before the prince chose to distance himself.
Clement grew up without knowing his father’s identity. When his mother revealed the truth to him at age 16, the secret became a heavy psychological burden—years spent knowing who his father was, yet unable to speak it aloud.
In his twenties, he collapsed: nightly panic attacks, months of isolation, and psychotherapy. Even his Venezuelan girlfriend, Lubi, who has shared his life for six years, once fed him at a Barcelona restaurant when he couldn’t lift his fork to his mouth.
He says this period made him realize he wanted to leave this pressure behind forever.
Prince Laurent requested a DNA test, but the results only emerged after nearly ten years, showing a 99.5% match.
The prince formally acknowledged paternity in a statement in September 2025, then gave it legal standing in front of a civil registrar in February 2026.
Under a Belgian royal decree issued in 2015, descendants of King Albert II automatically receive the title of Prince or Princess upon proof of parentage, and no one—including the king—can object.
This means the title requires no additional procedures, and Clement became a prince the moment his legal connection to his grandfather, King Albert II, was confirmed.
Yet the title comes without power: Clement will hold no official position, receive no royal treasury allowances, and has no claim to the throne—especially since his father, Prince Laurent, ranks only fifteenth in the line of succession.
Clement holds no diplomatic rank or official role within the royal family, and bearing the title of prince is a legal right, not an obligation to use it.
His only recognized right is civil inheritance: he is now an equal heir to his father alongside his three siblings.
Clement lives in the city of Altre, between Ghent and Bruges, working in a restaurant kitchen. Previously, he worked as a car salesman, and he hopes to enter the real estate sector in the future—already having rented two private garages.
He insists on maintaining financial independence, stating he did not ask anyone for money to buy his car, and his father provided no funds. The only financial help he received from his mother was paying the deposit for his apartment.
When asked about dropping the "Saxe-Coburg" name, his response was firm: "Abandoning my birth name would be a betrayal of everything my mother did for me." He also mentioned he might accept using a double name combining "van den Kerchove" and "Saxe-Coburg."
Clement describes his relationship with his father as continuously improving: "If I call him and say, 'Can we meet tomorrow?' he always makes time. We go to a restaurant in Brussels, both of us love pasta," he adds, "Most importantly, he puts his hand on my shoulder."
Clement says his relationship with his father is now very good, and Prince Laurent supports him and is present when needed—something that brings him joy. He sees his father as someone who has suffered greatly and recalls most vividly the moment his father placed his hand on his shoulder.
On Instagram, he expressed his feelings after the official recognition: "Adapting to the feeling of relief after no longer having to hide my origins is a journey I’m still living through."
He also shared gratitude for the warm messages he received from the public, saying supportive reactions deeply moved him, and the emotion that dominates everything is gratitude.
