I admit that I wasn't sympathetic to her at first but I didn't know the details.. that Albert had rejected her and that her legal father had not been around much.. now I do understand that her motives are probably sincere In that she's hurt and angry at her blood father's rejection.. Even if she does put forward more financial or other claims I still have sympathy and feel that she has a genuine case.
Delphine Boël, daughter of King Albert II
- Thread starter sky
- Start date
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
- Status
Lady Daly
Courtier
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2012
- Messages
- 915
- City
- Sherwood
- Country
- United States
Another article explaining Delphine Boel's initial reasoning behind pursuing her paternity from King Albert. https://www.parismatch.com/Royal-Bl...n-hypothequer-l-avenir-de-mes-enfants-1659856. Using google translate this Paris Match article gives an indepth explanation regarding she and her mother being put on an essential "blacklist" by the financial institutions i.e. Royal Bank of Scotland in Jan. 2012 for being a PEP or politically exposed person of high risk because of speaking out about being King Albert's daughter. "Through her advice, Delphine contacted Thomson Reuters, which owns a percentage of the company World-Check. World-Check offered to remove my name from its PEP list if I signed a document that clearly indicated that I had absolutely no connection to Albert and that the information on Wikipedia and other public sources was only gossip. I refused to bow to their game and make this false statement. The problems continued to arise. The abdication of King Albert in July 2013 neither changed nor erased my status of “dirty” PEP. This is just one example of the discrimination that I have to endure and face in real life. All of this creates a bad buzz associated with my person, my children." It appears this is at least partial reason for Delphine to have pursued legal recourse in clarification of her paternity.
Lady Daly
Courtier
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2012
- Messages
- 915
- City
- Sherwood
- Country
- United States
I spent the past couple days reading most of the posts in this thread (back to 2003) trying to gain a little more clarity and background surrounding Delphine's struggle to find her identity and prove what she and many others already knew, that she is the biological daughter of King Albert II.
I just finished watching the above mentioned tv interview from 2016 with Delphine, her interview portion is in English starts@ ~30" into the show. I think Delphine's story is quite incredible and it doesn't seem that her intentions have changed over the years..."dna test of K.Albert is not about money or "being a princess", but about identity i.o.w knowing who her biological father is, for herself, her kids (and maybe later grandkids)." I'm impressed with her strength and courage, how she seems to have survived the scrutiny and malicious gossip over the years, and that of her family - mother, husband and two children. The banking issues that came about which she touches on briefly in the interview and I have highlighted in previous posts also seem to be one of the tipping points for her to continue going forward. In 1999 a book about Queen Paola was written by a young Flemish boy outing Delphine and her mother and they initially denied the stories but the stories did not go away.
So thank you to Lee-Z for your great posts on this thread and many others who have contributed, it's been a fascinating read!
Im sure she does not expect to be welcomed by the family or become a Princess. I hope that seh's not in it for money... I think that she DID just want some recogiition in public and private from her biological father.. he was around when she was a kid.. and when he was so bullish about not admitting it, she did become resentful and wanted to push for the recognition. ALbert has only grudgingly admitted it but I hoep that this will be enough for her..
Why should it be? She has been greatly and 100% unnecessarily wronged - for decades!
What is the point of dragging on and on. Yes Albert has behaved badly.. but one can't go on "punishing" him for the rest of his life. What would be the point of it? What would one hope to gain by dragging the whole issue up again and again for years?
Tatiana Maria
Majesty
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2013
- Messages
- 6,729
- City
- St Petersburg
- Country
- United States
I am curious about this as well. The Royal Court headed by King Philippe has hitherto held firm in their refusal to comment on the case, saying it is "a private matter". Perhaps Philippe is attempting to remain neutral, or perhaps he simply feels that a statement from him would help no one.
It IS a private matter.. and they have no obligation to make friends with Delphine.. Im sure they are embarrassed......
That is probably the reason
It's not about Albert or what is convenient for him and for the rest of his life. He brought this all on himself.
It is about justice for his aggrieved daughter. When Delphine feels she has received the justice she has sought, then what you call "dragging on” can cease. And portraying her long battle for justice as “punishing him” is appalling, as the whole prolonged mess is entirely his doing and could have been quietly resolved many decades ago had Albert & Paola been less selfish & vindictive, and more honorable.
Last edited:
Roslyn
Heir Apparent
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2006
- Messages
- 4,141
- City
- Tintenbar
- Country
- Australia
I totally agree. It could have been handled so much better and resolved decades ago. If Albert and Paola had behaved with dignity and due concern for the child Albert sired and had a relationship with for a time, they would both have been regarded as gracious and honourable rather than despised for their selfishness.
I don't expect Delphine's half-siblings to comment publicly; they are no more responsible for this mess than she is and are entitled to treat it as a private matter.
Last edited:
But what constitutes justice? He has recongised her, and I hope he leaves her something in his will. But what else can be done? Their relationship is fractured, and he is an old man. What exactly can she want of him?
This is quite a story about the 18 year old boy who uncovered the story:
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/01/belgium-king-albert-ii-daughter-delphine-boel
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/01/belgium-king-albert-ii-daughter-delphine-boel
rominet09
Heir Apparent
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2006
- Messages
- 5,705
- City
- LIEGE
- Country
- Belgium
Once more I'll say this
, in Belgium you CANNOT desinherit your children, Following the new laws she will be entitled to a minimum part of his possessions. Half of his possessions will legally go to his children, and that part will be divided by four now.King of the Jungle
Courtier
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2011
- Messages
- 981
- City
- Melbourne
- Country
- Australia
Interesting law, Rominet09.
Can a person in Belgium gift items and money to children, charities and the like before death - effectively limiting one's possessions to be controlled and distributed after death under that inheritance law?
Can a person in Belgium gift items and money to children, charities and the like before death - effectively limiting one's possessions to be controlled and distributed after death under that inheritance law?
Moonmaiden23
Imperial Majesty
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2007
- Messages
- 12,466
- City
- Los Angeles
- Country
- United States
So...if I understand the article correctly and completely, this entire battle by Delphine was triggered by Albert himself. When she contacted him for advice and guidance on how she should respond to the allegations in the Danneels book, his reply was along the lines of I AM NOT YOUR FATHER. BUZZ OFF AND NEVER CONTACT ME AGAIN!.
My suspicion is that Delphine's anger, not to mention her humiliation,
drove her determination to have Albert publicly acknowledge her. Nothing more. How different might have been the outcome if he had simply responded to her with some compassion and kindness during that crucial phone call.
At least.
Last edited:
Normally, under continental European civil law (also used in Latin America), children have equal rights to a predetermined share of their father's inheritance (usually half, with the other half being inherited by the widow). If property is transferred to one of the children in life, I understand that is considered an anticipation of their share of the inheritance and the other children have to be compensated accordingly later (or, at least, they can sue for compensation).
I am not sure if my understanding is correct, but others here can clarify it
Last edited:
Lady Daly
Courtier
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2012
- Messages
- 915
- City
- Sherwood
- Country
- United States
A really good Vanity Fair article! I had known about the school boy's book and posted about it earlier but Vanity Fair clears up more of the mystery behind Delphine's mother Sybille's relationship with Albert and the time line. Mario Danneel's story as a 16y/o school boy writing a book about Queen Paola and uncovering that the King had an 18 year affair resulting in an illegitimate daughter is a pretty incredible story in itself. Thanks for this gem, ladongas
Roslyn
Heir Apparent
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2006
- Messages
- 4,141
- City
- Tintenbar
- Country
- Australia
Yes, that is a very interesting article about the boy who wrote the book. Thank you, ladongas.
Lady Daly
Courtier
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2012
- Messages
- 915
- City
- Sherwood
- Country
- United States
So...if I understand the article correctly and completely, this entire battle by Delphine was triggered by Albert himself. When she contacted him for advice and guidance on how she should respond to the allegations in the Danneels book, his reply was along the lines of I AM NOT YOUR FATHER. BUZZ OFF AND NEVER CONTACT ME AGAIN!.
My suspicion is that Delphine's anger, not to mention her humiliation,
drove her determination to have Albert publicly acknowledge her. Nothing more. How different might have been the outcome if he had simply responded to her with some compassion and kindness during that crucial phone call.
At least.
You've pretty much hit the nail on the head
And also the affect this has had on her children. "Even though Boël may not get a relationship with her father, the acknowledgement, according to Danneels, will give Boël peace of mind and justice for her children. That was extremely important to her—that her children wouldn’t have to live with the stigma that she has been living with for 51 years." https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/01/belgium-king-albert-ii-daughter-delphine-boel
Once more I'll say this
Yes I know that. But there may be ways that he can make it a very minmal amount.. I hope he wont.. that he will as a token of amendement leave her a decent amount of money
Tatiana Maria
Majesty
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2013
- Messages
- 6,729
- City
- St Petersburg
- Country
- United States
Thank you, an interesting story indeed. It was news to me that Mario Danneels' biography of Queen Paola allocated only a single sentence (!) to the existence of an extramarital child. To see the way the book was received, one would think it was a book about Delphine Boël. I suppose Mr. Danneels has a point when he says that for fellow royal watchers, his book was an excuse to publish facts which were apparently already well known in their circles.
Based on what Mr. Danneels learned from acquaintances of King Albert and Queen Paola, it seems that Prince Albert's conception of a child with Baroness Sybille was devastating for Princess Paola and for the already troubled marriage of the Prince and Princess.
Once more I'll say this
Except, I suppose, in the improbable but not impossible event that King Albert passes away in the next few months, before Delphine has been recognized in law as his daughter (which is predicted to occur after the next court hearing on June 4). In that event, not being his lawful daughter, the law would not entitle her to a share of his estate, although she could nonetheless inherit a share if he leaves it to her in his testament as he recently promised to do. (Could the courts confer recognition posthumously?)
rominet09
Heir Apparent
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2006
- Messages
- 5,705
- City
- LIEGE
- Country
- Belgium
The minimum he can give her is like I wrote ! Of course if he is very rich it will be a nice amount !
Yes but if he were a decent man, trying to make up for his behaviour in the past, he could go a bit further. If he twists his money around to make sure she gets the least possible, he's really being horrible. But I feel that there is a limit to what Delphine can do. If her father shows no sign of wanting to make up for the past, I don't see what she can gain from pursuing him much longer. He is an old man, he may be gone in a few years and maybe all she can hope for is that he did acknowledge her as his child, even if he did so because he had to..
Prinsara
Heir Apparent
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2020
- Messages
- 4,976
- City
- A place to grow
- Country
- Canada
I know he died many years before Albert broke off communications with Delphine, but is there any kind of opinion on if (and how much) King Baudouin knew about this?
Very different circumstances, but Belgium does have a history of this: Leopold III's younger brother Prince Charles had a daughter who's been received by the family.
Undoubtedly it will take some time, but I'd like to think Philippe and Mathilde can do the gracious thing for Delphine and her family and at least be open to private contact. Perhaps a few of the wounds Albert's inflicted and kept open for so long can finally be healed.
Very different circumstances, but Belgium does have a history of this: Leopold III's younger brother Prince Charles had a daughter who's been received by the family.
Undoubtedly it will take some time, but I'd like to think Philippe and Mathilde can do the gracious thing for Delphine and her family and at least be open to private contact. Perhaps a few of the wounds Albert's inflicted and kept open for so long can finally be healed.
Duc_et_Pair
Imperial Majesty
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2014
- Messages
- 13,235
- City
- City
- Country
- Netherlands
Yes King Baudouin knew. The marital problems of the Prince and Princess de Liège were well known. The couple wanted to separate and divorce. That was an absolute no-no for King Baudouin. Apart from his own conviction it was also the morale of society ánd Prince Albert was the King's successor. A divorced and eventually remarried King with a child out of wedlock from an affair during his first marriage? Never!
The King insisted on mediation. And probably was most satisfied that Jonkheer Jacques Boël (one of Belgium's wealthiest men) simply accepted Delphine as his daughter, born in his marriage with the baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps (Albert's maîtresse). In the end Prince Albert and Princess Paola found a way out, re-found happiness and indeed became Belgium's King and Queen, with quite a high popularity in the first three-quarters of the reign.
Last edited:
Maybe they re found happiness but it seems like there were still problems. Albert knew that Delphine was his child.. he must have known that the scandal might one day become more public.. and to just run away from it was not a good move. He and Paola should have agreed that with their marriage mended, if the issue of his daughter came up, Alb would acknowledge that he had been at fault and had a child and that he would accept her. Tehir marriage went through some very bad times, but we've been told that they got over it and had found happiness again.. so they should have been able to accept what had happened in the past...
maria-olivia
Majesty
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2006
- Messages
- 7,997
- City
- Brussels
- Country
- Belgium
The Documents of the Divorce were ready but its conditions were awful.
Albert de Liège could not see much his Children, but more Syille de Selys was absoluely not alowed to see them at all. She said I cannot admit this , I am not a bad Women. And there was no divorce.
Endly , due to the Renouveau Charismatique, Albert and Paola found a Reconcilation and were to gether when they were King and Queen of the Belgians.
Albert de Liège could not see much his Children, but more Syille de Selys was absoluely not alowed to see them at all. She said I cannot admit this , I am not a bad Women. And there was no divorce.
Endly , due to the Renouveau Charismatique, Albert and Paola found a Reconcilation and were to gether when they were King and Queen of the Belgians.
Why would Sybille not be allowed to see the Royal children? Is that what you mean? It seems to me that Albert coms out looking worse, if he really loved this woman so much he was prepared to think of a divorce to be with her, why reject their daughter?
- Status
Similar threads
