Prince Laurent's role in the Royal Family

[principessa]

Refering to the thread of the 80th birthday of HM Queen Fabiola of the Belgians (http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f29/fabiola-turns-80-a-17226.html) and the absence of Prince Laurent I have some questions:

Has the relationship to the rest of the family changed since he get married to Claire and get father of three absolutely sweet children? Has his behavior in his youth anything to do, that he would be a illegitimate children of Paola? And how is the relation to his two full siblings and his half-sister?

 

[Marengo]

I am not quite sure actually. It seems Claire and the children had a good effect on Laurent, but he stil have his own ways. Of course he suffered from depressions for a while (maybe stil does), which also has an effect on mood changes and such.

It seems he is at least more able to put on a good face every now and than, but still he seems very much an outsider of the family. Claire looks to me as some sort of peacekeeper between husband and his family. I don't think laurent has a good relationship ith any of his parents or siblings though. But maybe other posters know more.

 

[mgrant]

Ever since I have been looking at pictures of Prince Laurent, he seems to be detached and disconnected, like he's just going through the motions, even in his wedding portraits. I've always wondered about his temperment since then. I'm no psychiatrist but I wouldn't exactly call him happy-go-lucky. I hope I'm not drifting too far from the subject for the thread and if I am, I apologize.

 

[Esmerelda]

I think I read somewhere on this forum ( have been trying to find the thread- no luck so far) that Laurent really resented the change in the Order of Succession to equal primogeniture in 1991. Back then, he was after his brother, who had no children. He thought it implied that his uncle and his father had no confidence in him. If I remember correctly, his father addressed the issue by saying that it was because of the changing role of women in society.

Do you think this would have affected his role as a member of the Royal family and his relationships with his parents and siblings?

 

[Artemisia]

I think I read somewhere on this forum ( have been trying to find the thread- no luck so far) that Laurent really resented the change in the Order of Succession to equal primogeniture in 1991. Back then, he was after his brother, who had no children. He thought it implied that his uncle and his father had no confidence in him. If I remember correctly, his father addressed the issue by saying that it was because of the changing role of women in society.

Do you think this would have affected his role as a member of the Royal family and his relationships with his parents and siblings?

If it did, then it's Prince Laurent's fault; there is no need to be that petty, especially since the chances were high his elder brother would get married and have children.
Carl-Philip of Sweden was actually born the Crown Prince and had to move down the succession line; and yet, there appears to be no resentment on the Prince's part. On the contrary, he has been a great support for his sister, especially during Victoria's maternity leave.

 

[Esmerelda]

If it did, then it's Prince Laurent's fault; there is no need to be that petty, especially since the chances were high his elder brother would get married and have children.
Carl-Philip of Sweden was actually born the Crown Prince and had to move down the succession line; and yet, there appears to be no resentment on the Prince's part. On the contrary, he has been a great support for his sister, especially during Victoria's maternity leave.

Oh I don't think it was the succession issue per se but more the trust aspect. There was a lot of speculation that the constitution was amended to put Astrid and her children as a 'buffer' between Laurent and the throne should Philippe not be able to have children. Of course, both Philippe and Laurent were bachelors at the time and Astrid had children so it could just have been securing the continuity of the monarchy into the next generation. The important thing is how Laurent interpreted it.

 

[Artemisia]

Oh I don't think it was the succession issue per se but more the trust aspect. There was a lot of speculation that the constitution was amended to put Astrid and her children as a 'buffer' between Laurent and the throne should Philippe not be able to have children. Of course, both Philippe and Laurent were bachelors at the time and Astrid had children so it could just have been securing the continuity of the monarchy into the next generation. The important thing is how Laurent interpreted it.

I'm not Belgian, so my opinion probably doesn't matter, but I would feel more secure knowing Princess Astrid and her kids are between Prince Laurent and the Throne.

 

[Esmerelda]

The press seem to have picked up on how grumpy Laurent seemed during the Abdication/Inauguration ceremonies. They speculate that it's because Astrid got the economic missions.

Les photos du Prince Laurent tirant la tête toute la journée à l’intronisation de son frère | Direct.cd

I wonder what role he will play in the family now that Phillippe is King.

 

[Marengo]

A very limited one for sure. But as I said in another thread, I hope they find something for him to do. I don't think Philippe and Laurent are very close, and Laurent can be somewhat of a loose canon. But the prince is in an akward position of course, he has never been raised to persue a carreer, and now all of a sudden he finds himself without a job/something to do. It must be hard for him and no wonder if he turns bitter and/or depressed.

 

[MARG]

And, if he suffers from depression or a bi-polar disorder as has been speculated, it would be very difficult to maintain an even strain if his family relationships were not supportive.