Delphine Boël, daughter of King Albert II

[leidi]

That's a very good point.

If this happens, at what point is the Belgian Royal House itself seen at being complicit in evading a legal ruling - at least in the eyes of they public? In any event, the joke will be on them, I don't think Delphine's primary motivation was ever money.

Why would they be evading a legal ruling? Delphine isn't his legal daughter YET, so at this point, Albert can do whatever he wants with his properties without having to tell her or give her anything.

Morally speaking it would be another thing, 'cuz everyone would know it was because of this ruling but would they be obligated to declare the property changes in public? I mean, for example if Amedeo or Joachim get a house or a chalet from their grandparents, does that have to go to the public eye by law?

They will most likely give most of their things away to the "cadet" branches of the family (Astrid and Laurent's children), didn't Paola buy a property in Belgium with the intention to leave it to the twins for example?

 

[Zonk]

Forgive my ignorance with the following question or if it's already been asked.

According to Belgian law, is Albert required to leave anything to Delphine upon his death, if it is proven via DNA that she is his daughter? Basically, can he not leave her anything when he dies?

I ask because I think at one point (again please correct me if I am wrong) French law stated that you can't leave anything to illegitimate children. I think, that law has since been changed that now you can.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

[...]
They will most likely give most of their things away to the "cadet" branches of the family (Astrid and Laurent's children), didn't Paola buy a property in Belgium with the intention to leave it to the twins for example?

Queen Paola has already left it to Aymeric and Nicholas indeed. She bought the Presbytère (vicarage) in Villers-sur-Lesse, ordered a complete renovation (picture) and donated it to the twin brothers indeed. The mansion is close to the Château de Fenffe and its domains, owned by the Donation Royale. So the boys have all possibilities to live a fabulous countryside life in the deep green forests of South Belgium.

On itself that is not an uncommon thing. Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus bought a mediaeval farm in Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, Italy and it was donated to their three toddler boys too. Seems some clever move to keep valuables en famille.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Forgive my ignorance with the following question or if it's already been asked.

According to Belgian law, is Albert required to leave anything to Delphine upon his death, if it is proven via DNA that she is his daughter? Basically, can he not leave her anything when he dies?

I ask because I think at one point (again please correct me if I am wrong) French law stated that you can't leave anything to illegitimate children. I think, that law has since been changed that now you can.

No, DNA alone is not enough. For Belgian law Delphine's legal father is Jacques Boël, a wealthy aristocrat. For Belgian law the natural father is not of interest. It is the legal father which counts. In most cases the natural father = the legal father. In Dephine's case Jacques Boël has never fought paternity over Delphine. She always had his name, grew up on his estate until the divorce from Delphine's mother and until this very moment Delphine is the general heiress of his fortune (estimated around 750 million Euro).

Sadly for Delphine her public crusade against her alleged father King Albert II, has angered her legal father. Jacques Boël seems a very introvert and discreet person avoiding publicity as the plague. By going all-out in the media, Delphine came in conflict with her legal father. In most countries on the European Continent it is not possible to disinherit a child. The father can avoid this by -for an example- donate everything into a legal Trust Fund with specific instructions, meaning it will be barred for Delphine. She herself stated in Le Soir in 2013: "I will inherit nothing. He (Jacques Boël) has done everything to make sure I will receive nothing".

From her alleged father (King Albert II) she can receive nothing. Not even when DNA proves the former King is her father. She needs more legal steps as her legal father is Jacques Boël. This means that Delphine first has to fight the paternity of Jacques Boël, the man who has been her father for almost 50 years. Then she has to fight for recognition of the paternity of the natural father, who has never been her father for almost 50 years.

A general division of inheritance is: it is divided in legal portions. The surviving spouse gets half plus a legal portion. The children get a legal portion each. This means the so-called reservatoir inheritance for his family is divided in 7 legal portions:

4/7 for the dowager, Queen Paola (= half plus one legal portion)
1/7 for King Philippe
1/7 for Princess Astrid
1/7 for Prince Laurent

When Delphine becomes a Heiress too, the inheritance will be divided in 9 legal portions:

5/9 for the dowager, Queen Paola (= half plus one legal portion)
1/9 for King Philippe
1/9 for Princess Astrid
1/9 for Prince Laurent
1/9 for Delphine

So when it was for the money, Delphine could better have accepted the situation as it was and she could have lived a grand life as wealthy aristocrat daughter. I doubt she will inherit much from King Albert. It is clear (the distribution of properties by life) that especially Queen Paola is making sure this Delphine will eat nothing from her and her (grand)childrens' inheritances.

 

[Benjamin]

Prince Laurent has expressed his satisfaction for Delphine Boël that the Constitutional Court ruled in her favour:

Le prince Laurent est "content" pour Delphine Boël - 7SUR7.be

 

[leidi]

Also, if Paola and Albert broke their pre-nup, how could the law establish what came from her and what came from him if they have been sharing for over 50 years? It would make it harder for Delphine to stake her claim, right?

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Also, if Paola and Albert broke their pre-nup, how could the law establish what came from her and what came from him if they have been sharing for over 50 years? It would make it harder for Delphine to stake her claim, right?

The King and Queen did not "broke" their pre-marital contract. They changed it in mutual agreement. A world of difference.

According the pre-marital contract the fortunes of both Prince Albert of Belgium and of Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria remain separated. It is not known what exactly has been changed but most heard in media is that Albert and Paola have agreed to join both fortunes into one communal property, which will not become part of the inheritance but become a part of the marriage agreement. By doing so the spouses subjected all they have under the new marriage agreement. By doing so probably both spouses wanted to make sure that the surviving one will be "left well behind" and nasty fights for the inheritance during their lifetime will be avoided.

1959 Marriage Agreement
A = personal properties of Prince Albert of Belgium are kept out of the marriage
B = personal properties of Donna Paola di Ruffo Calabria are kept out of the marriage
C = properties of the two jointly acquired during marriage are in joint ownership

2015 Marriage Agreement
A = personal properties of King Albert II are brought into joint ownership under this new Agreement
B = personal properties of Queen Paola are brought into joint ownership under this new Agreement
C = the properties jointly acquired from 1959 until 2015 are brought into joint ownership under this new Agreement
D = the properties of the two jointly acquired under the new Marriage Agreement 2015 will be in joint ownership

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Prince Laurent has expressed his satisfaction for Delphine Boël that the Constitutional Court ruled in her favour:

Le prince Laurent est "content" pour Delphine Boël - 7SUR7.be

That is kicking into an open door. What else can the Prince say? "No, I disagree with the Constitutional Court" ? But of course with this blabbing he will not have scored an extra point with his siblings and the Government.

 

[Rossina]

Is her mother alive??

 

[leidi]

The King and Queen did not "broke" their pre-marital contract. They changed it in mutual agreement. A world of difference.

According the pre-marital contract the fortunes of both Prince Albert of Belgium and of Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria remain separated. It is not known what exactly has been changed but most heard in media is that Albert and Paola have agreed to join both fortunes into one communal property, which will not become part of the inheritance but become a part of the marriage agreement. By doing so the spouses have made all they have part of the marriage agreement. By doing so probably both spouses wanted to make sure that the surviving one will be "left well behind" and nasty fights for the inheritance during their lifetime will be avoided.

1959 Marriage Agreement
A = personal properties of Prince Albert of Belgium is kept out of the marriage
B = personal properties of Donna Paola di Ruffo Calabria is kept out of the marriage
C = properties of the two jointly acquired during marriage is in joint ownership

2015 Marriage Agreement
A = personal properties of Prince Albert of Belgium is brought into joint ownership under this new Agreement
B = personal properties of Donna Paola di Ruffi Calabria is brought into joint ownership under this new Agreement
C = the properties jointly acquired from 1959 until 2015 are brought into joint ownership under this new Agreement
D = the properties of the two jointly acquired under the new Marriage Agreement 2015 will be in joint ownership

Yeah, I expressed myself badly there
But this was definitely done thinking about the Delphine situation, because Albert knows that no matter what have happened, his children would have never left Paola "unprotected" if he died first or viceversa.

 

[Roslyn]

Prince Laurent has expressed his satisfaction for Delphine Boël that the Constitutional Court ruled in her favour:

Le prince Laurent est "content" pour Delphine Boël - 7SUR7.be

Nice that he has said something supportive of his half-sister. I think Laurent knows how it feels to be an outsider.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Is her mother alive??

Yes, Baroness Sybille Selys de Longchamps is alive and kicking: picture

A lot of people on this forums say Delphine looks so much like Queen Astrid, King Albert's mother. But I see she is very much Sybille's daughter: picture.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Nice that he has said something supportive of his half-sister. I think Laurent knows how it feels to be an outsider.

Exactly this week he has got all the vomit and vitriol in the online comments over him in media because he wailed: "Sometimes I am fed up being a Prince" (link, luckily one without online diarrhoea). The most-heard comment of course is: "Well, Monseigneur, who stops you being a Prince, who stops you enjoying the most generous taxfunded annual donation...!!!" (I use it in a more diplomatic language as you may understand...). I am not sure "support" by Laurent really is helpful for Delphine...

 

[Missy-]

I'm very pleasantly surprised for Ms. Boel, I had long ago written this case off as a win for the 'powers-that-be'. Bravo for carrying through with conviction, this really makes me fairly certain of veracity of her claim. It's been such an uphill battle that if she wasn't totally convinced she would have fallen by the wayside years ago.
BTW, I quite like her style and artwork, and I'm not a modern art fan, for the most part modern art strikes me as shallow. I think she's a strong, quirky and intelligent lady and probably a heck of a lot of fun to know.

 

[Rossina]

Yes, Baroness Sybille Selys de Longchamps is alive and kicking: picture

A lot of people on this forums say Delphine looks so much like Queen Astrid, King Albert's mother. But I see she is very much Sybille's daughter: picture.

Thanks
Well, I think her face bears the features of the two ladies but she looks more like Queen Astrid IMO.

 

[NotHRH]

Forgive my ignorance with the following question or if it's already been asked.

According to Belgian law, is Albert required to leave anything to Delphine upon his death, if it is proven via DNA that she is his daughter? Basically, can he not leave her anything when he dies?

I ask because I think at one point (again please correct me if I am wrong) French law stated that you can't leave anything to illegitimate children. I think, that law has since been changed that now you can.

I am sure Delphine has been earning a living for quite some time now; she is not after money or possessions. She wants to calm her mind, and that will not happen until it is proven whether Albert is her biological father or not. She is retaliating because he did not care or even want to know if he is her father. Actually, this is more for her to enlighten everybody on what a piece of ? Albert is. Money is not her objective, she is only trying to rid herself of the sadness and emptiness she feels of a father abandoning and denying his own daughter (in her mind anyway). In the past few years, Albert and Paola have both admitted they were not faithful to each other for years, and I'm sure his legitimate kids can tell you both of them were not the best of parents either. This case is much more deep-rooted and personal than anything invoving money, property, and possessions, and more complicated than we can understand.

 

[Zonk]

Well, I have never been of the opinion that Dephine was in it for the money. If you had read any of my previous comments on the subject, I totally agree that she just wanted confirmation that Albert was her biological father and she wanted the world to know it. If she was simply in it for the money, her best bet would be to be quiet and let the world think Jacques was her father.

I actually asked about the inheritance laws because 1) I was simply curious and 2) because everyone was speaking about Albert and Paola leaving items of value to their grandchildren with the implication that it was being done so Delphine would not inherit any of it.

If that is not the case, I simply think that Albert and Paola are trying to leave their legacy to their children/grandchildren without having to pay any inheritance tax. The rich do it often.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I am sure Delphine has been earning a living for quite some time now; she is not after money or possessions. She wants to calm her mind, and that will not happen until it is proven whether Albert is her biological father or not. She is retaliating because he did not care or even want to know if he is her father. Actually, this is more for her to enlighten everybody on what a piece of ? Albert is. Money is not her objective, she is only trying to rid herself of the sadness and emptiness she feels of a father abandoning and denying his own daughter (in her mind anyway). In the past few years, Albert and Paola have both admitted they were not faithful to each other for years, and I'm sure his legitimate kids can tell you both of them were not the best of parents either. This case is much more deep-rooted and personal than anything invoving money, property, and possessions, and more complicated than we can understand.

Actually Delphine is in financial troubles. Her company, Deljim, which trades her artworks is near bankruptcy. The author Thierry Debels had found that what Delphine ever had as legal daughter of one of Belgium's richest men has been evaporated, pfffwwwttt, due to poor financial management. Delphine had sold the golden spoon she was born with, so to say. She had made herself impossible in her relationship with her legal father, the mega-rich Jacques Boël. He seems to have taken every possible step to leave her without a penny. So any claim that Delphine is not fuelled by money, hmmmm....

 

[GracieGiraffe]

Why would they be evading a legal ruling? Delphine isn't his legal daughter YET, so at this point, Albert can do whatever he wants with his properties without having to tell her or give her anything.

Morally speaking it would be another thing, 'cuz everyone would know it was because of this ruling but would they be obligated to declare the property changes in public? I mean, for example if Amedeo or Joachim get a house or a chalet from their grandparents, does that have to go to the public eye by law?

They will most likely give most of their things away to the "cadet" branches of the family (Astrid and Laurent's children), didn't Paola buy a property in Belgium with the intention to leave it to the twins for example?

I really meant morally speaking.

 

[leidi]

I really meant morally speaking.

Yeah but it isn't as if they would refuse a "gift" from their parents/grandparents that will actually become their inheritance in the future, they aren't really stealing from anyone, because legally speaking there isn't anything wrong with taking those right now, it's not really their problem to settle.

Whether Delphine could challenge that in the future would be the biggest problem IMO, although P&Co could donate something to the Donation Royale and avoid these kind of issues (since everything that is under that cannot be touched).

A big mess, and the fault lies on Albert and Paola.

Actually Delphine is in financial troubles. Her company, Deljim, which trades her artworks is near bankruptcy. The author Thierry Debels had found that what Delphine ever had as legal daughter of one of Belgium's richest men has been evaporated, pfffwwwttt, due to poor financial management. Delphine had sold the golden spoon she was born with, so to say. She had made herself impossible in her relationship with her legal father, the mega-rich Jacques Boël. He seems to have taken every possible step to leave her without a penny. So any claim that Delphine is not fuelled by money, hmmmm....

So she's basically broke right now...
Interesting.

 

[GracieGiraffe]

Yeah but it isn't as if they would refuse a "gift" from their parents/grandparents that will actually become their inheritance in the future, they aren't really stealing from anyone, because legally speaking there isn't anything wrong with taking those right now, it's not really their problem to settle.

Whether Delphine could challenge that in the future would be the biggest problem IMO, although P&Co could donate something to the Donation Royale and avoid these kind of issues (since everything that is under that cannot be touched).

A big mess, and the fault lies on Albert and Paola.



So she's basically broke right now...
Interesting.

It's not illegal. But if the King and his family start accepting large gifts from Albert and Paola, the public might have something to say about it.

 

[leidi]

It's not illegal. But if the King and his family start accepting large gifts from Albert and Paola, the public might have something to say about it.

Well, if you ask me, I wouldn't really care much either way, because they were going to get most of it anyway and frankly they have no obligation towards Delphine.

I don't think people would look at this too closely if it is done before the DNA tests are submitted, the longer they wait, the worse it would be IMO.

Plus if Delphine isn't really after the money, then she would be OK with it since she just wants the recognition, right?

 

[royal rob]

Delphine Boël

Just reading the posts I can't help thinking
She isn't the one that had the affair She did nothing wrong
But somehow wanting to know for sure who her father is wrong !!
Shame on her parents not her.
If there is money involved yes she should have a share.
She should receive an apology

Just my 2 cents worth IMO


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

 

[Missy-]

hear hear!

 

[Marengo]

With or without the court case I think it is quite certain that Albert will never restore contact with her, esp. not as long as Paola is still around. I understand it is painful for them to face reality but if they had done this 10-20 years ago things wouldn't have escalated this way. He saw his daughter regularly until well in the 90-ties.

To look away hoping for a 'problem' to go away isn't very adult behavior, even less so for a king. Prince Bernhard -for all his many, many faults- at least showed some decency in regards to his known extra marital daughters.

It is sad for all involved that it has come this far.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Just reading the posts I can't help thinking
She isn't the one that had the affair She did nothing wrong
But somehow wanting to know for sure who her father is wrong !!
Shame on her parents not her.
If there is money involved yes she should have a share.
She should receive an apology

Just my 2 cents worth IMO


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

You miss the point, I am afraid. For Belgian law Delphine's father, for almost 50 years, is Jonkheer Jacques Paul Pascal Marie Ghislain Boël, whom happens to be one Belgium's wealthiest men, by the way. Delphine is his daughter and as such she is the primary beneficiante of his inheritance.

"Yes, she should have a share", you say. That means that she inherits as daughter of King Albert II. For Belgian law it is not interesting who is your natural father. Often the father will not be known at all (IVF, for an example). What is of interest is: who is the legal father. This is Jacques Boël and no one else.

Delphine first has to fight the legal parentship of her father. She has to go to Court and claim that the paternal relationship of almost 50 years, having been living under his roof, carrying his surname, having been supported by him, all this is null and void. The paternity should end and she is no longer his daughter and no longer his heiress.

Then she has to go to Court again and claim the establishment of paternity of Albert de Belgique, a man she claims to be her father, with whom for almost 50 years she had no any paternal relationship with. Then she can apply for his surname and become one of his many heirs.

The "problem" for Delphine is that she has two parents. Jacques Boël and Sybille de Selys Longchamps. She has been recognized as the child of these two parents inside their marriage. Jacques Boël has never fought his paternity of Dephine. For law a child can not have three parents. She has to settle that first and that is not easy, to use an understatement.

 

[Roslyn]

But there is more than one point. You are making the strictly legal point under Belgian law, but the fact remains is that this woman is not the biological daughter of Jacques Boël. He is not her real father, only her legal father. Delphine's "problem" is that her real father is a coward.

 

[leidi]

But there is more than one point. You are making the strictly legal point under Belgian law, but the fact remains is that this woman is not the biological daughter of Jacques Boël. He is not her real father, only her legal father. Delphine's "problem" is that her real father is a coward.

Well in my opinion Albert was merely the sperm donor, her "real" father was the man who raised and supported her, Jacques Boël.

Hell, Albert was barely a father to his legitimate children, I don't know why would anyone want to have anything to do with him to be honest.

And let's be honest, if Albert was a plumber or a carpenter, Delphine wouldn't be asking for this having a rich legal father, it is the "status" she's looking after.

Same thing is happening in Spain with "El Cordobés" and his illegitimate son who wears the same moniker (both are bullfighters), the son is now asking for DNA tests since his "father" is older so he could have his share of the inheritance (the older man is VERY rich), like Delphine, everyone knows that man sired him ('cuz they are basically carbon copies of each other) but just now he's looking for legal validation in order to have a share of what "El Cordobés" has.

People have all the right in the world to know where they come from, as long as they don't trample on other people's feelings, like Delphine is doing to Jacques, a massive public humilliation, she already knows Albert is her biological father, why does she feel the need to make it public after all these years? why can't she keep that to herself instead of dragging other people into a limelight they don't want?

I don't mean she should remain hidden but she basks in the fame she's gotten due to this, helps her artistic career (like "El Cordobés" fame helped his son) and is basically a kind of revenge against Albert and Paola (the last part I can understand and relate to, after all they both screwed up badly a lot of people, specially all their children, legitimate or not).

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

[...] And let's be honest, if Albert was a plumber or a carpenter, Delphine wouldn't be asking for this having a rich legal father, it is the "status" she's looking after. [...]

The interesting point here is that Delphine Boël is the heiress to her legal father, Jonkheer Jacques Boël. A man of enormous wealth. By all her public actions, the relationship between the two has detoriated so that -in Delphine's own words- her legal father has done everything possible to make sure she will not inherit any penny from him.

Of course Albert de Belgique is not too pauvre either, but his wealth is in no way comparable with that of Jacques Boël. And when Delphine becomes a beneficiante of Albert's inheritance, she has to share it with the surviving spouse and three siblings... With other words: while apparently knowing for sure who her natural father is, by her public actions she is shooting herself in the foot. She already has lost an immense fortune waiting for her (Boël) while the other fortune will -be sure of that- become out of her reach (De Belgique) and all this while she is already on the verge of bankruptcy...

Whoever her advisors were... Pffff...

 

[Nice Nofret]

Just reading the posts I can't help thinking
She isn't the one that had the affair She did nothing wrong
But somehow wanting to know for sure who her father is wrong !!
Shame on her parents not her.
If there is money involved yes she should have a share.
She should receive an apology

True - but that doesn't make it right to offend and hurt her legal father who always was willing to treat her as his daughter - I can't see any good coming from this mudthrowing....