OP
OP
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- Aug 13, 2004
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I am just watching the first episode. Quite sad and at times bizarre. Laurent was named 'the last act of love' between Albert of Paola. Shortly afterwards Albert left as often as he could to Bss Sybille -later in London while Paola sunk into a depression, being blamed for the failure of the marriage by Baudouin and Fabiola ánd still wanting to reunite with Albert.
An interesting observation is that they claim that the three children failed to form a strong bond because they were raised seperately for a large part.
One of the guest families where Laurent was staying apparently had a father who was 'handtastelijk' and Laurent had to go to his room too. The word can be interperted as physical abuse or as sexual abuse. Mr. van den Berghe says it is not clear what exactly happened, but that Laurent was removed quickly.
Apparently he was bullied at the abbey of Zevenkerken, where he went to school and they carved things in his desk, such as 'Fabiola is frigide' or 'België barst' (Belgium will break up) after which he would end up in physical fights. Apart from an unhappy home he also had an unhappy time at school. He runs away from school, after which the police searches him and finds him hitchhiking next to the highway. He has hypothermia and holds a sign which says 'Brussels'.
The voice-over said: for once Baudouin did not decide what would happen, but it was Paola's turn. For Philippe there was a plan, there were extra tutors, lots of things were tried. That was not there for Laurent. Via her network Paola got in touch with the couple Cleiren from Wilrijk, which is described in the posts above. Together with Paola they looked for an appropriate school.
Divorce plans are becoming more concrete. It is clear that Paola would lose custody and only will have the right to visit. In her way she tries to be a mother. Friday evening, before he would go home for the weekend, Laurent's teacher would call her on her private number and she would ask him about Laurents week, if he hadn't been difficult, if he hadn't been obstructionist. She was always happy to hear when the teacher said tat there hadn't been any trouble. Mr and Mrs Cleiren also state that Paola was very involved with Laurent, she followed everything that happened. She also felt Laurent had a difficult time. Mrs. Cleiren said that everybody understood it must have been awful in the previous school and that a period of peace and quiet was needed, which he was able to get in Wilrijk. He still had difficulties to get along at school, because he did not understand much of what was said (in Dutch). Laurent did go to the reunion of his old school in Wilrijk a few years ago, he hugged his teacher and said: thank you for all you have done for me.
After 3 years the school comes to an end to his happiest time of his childhood. He had to go to another school. His former teacher still is angry that they did not give Laurent the opportunity to stay longer and to get his diploma there. Van den Berghe says that it was a decision of the court.
After of period of great freedom he goes into the army. He is not used to cleaning up after himself, he needs to clean the toilets etc.
After this he went to a private school in Brussels, to get his diploma. He gets so at 20. The school was headed by Rudy Bogaerts. The people were not very positive about this man: 'what were they thinking?'. Bogaerts apparently also worked for a satyrical paper that loved to make fun of the royal family. They point at Jacques van Ypersele, cabinet chef of Baudouin and later of Albert. Bogaerts son defends his father and says that Laurent came there out of concern for the succession. He is the number two after Philippe. They knew that Bogaerts would treat him as everybody else and that Laurent would not receive a special treatment. Laurent actually likes Bogaerts and his school, he even lives with him and his family for a while. A new surrogate family.
The court decides to send him to a less prestigious university than his brother. They send him to the ultra-catholic Franciscan University of Steubenville. 'How do you get that into your head' an interviewed person gasps. At the court by this time everybody was greatly involved in the charismatic movement, only Laurent did not want to go along. That is why this university was picked, to lead him to the true religion. Instead of parties there are prayer sessions. He must have been very lost there. He often calls to Belgium to say how lonely he is and if he can not return.
After a year he could go back. Not to his parents but he is again sent around. Baudouin became more involved and everything needed to be reported. Once when Baudouin was in a meeting he was called by Laurent, who had trouble with a vending machine for soda, where he can't take the coca-cola out of: what should I do? It is a time when the prestige of Baudouin is the greatest, everybody looks like him like he is the messias of Belgium. Belgium as a subsidiary of the Vatican. And then there is Laurent, somebody who does not fit and who doesn't want to fit in that corset.
He is sent to the US again to be an intern for a Belgian tech company. His mentor -who really seems to dislike Laurent- says 'all of a sudden he was there' accompanied by the ambassador. He [the mentor] never received a resume. The prince did not have the right knowledge, never having finished any study. It was very difficult. His mentor told the ambassador ten times: it won't work. In december Laurent went back to Brussels. Baudouin wanted to keep him in the US and sends him back, after which the company then forced break.
More internships follow: for McDonnell Douglas, the IMF and Disney. He once visited a company with his mentor to a company where they tested on animals. He became furious and impolite. The interships all failed. He wanted to go to a prestigious university, Berkeley. The consul general gets him in. He failed there too and Baudouin had him sent home. The American years are not listed in his resumee now, as if they never happened.
An interesting observation is that they claim that the three children failed to form a strong bond because they were raised seperately for a large part.
One of the guest families where Laurent was staying apparently had a father who was 'handtastelijk' and Laurent had to go to his room too. The word can be interperted as physical abuse or as sexual abuse. Mr. van den Berghe says it is not clear what exactly happened, but that Laurent was removed quickly.
Apparently he was bullied at the abbey of Zevenkerken, where he went to school and they carved things in his desk, such as 'Fabiola is frigide' or 'België barst' (Belgium will break up) after which he would end up in physical fights. Apart from an unhappy home he also had an unhappy time at school. He runs away from school, after which the police searches him and finds him hitchhiking next to the highway. He has hypothermia and holds a sign which says 'Brussels'.
The voice-over said: for once Baudouin did not decide what would happen, but it was Paola's turn. For Philippe there was a plan, there were extra tutors, lots of things were tried. That was not there for Laurent. Via her network Paola got in touch with the couple Cleiren from Wilrijk, which is described in the posts above. Together with Paola they looked for an appropriate school.
Divorce plans are becoming more concrete. It is clear that Paola would lose custody and only will have the right to visit. In her way she tries to be a mother. Friday evening, before he would go home for the weekend, Laurent's teacher would call her on her private number and she would ask him about Laurents week, if he hadn't been difficult, if he hadn't been obstructionist. She was always happy to hear when the teacher said tat there hadn't been any trouble. Mr and Mrs Cleiren also state that Paola was very involved with Laurent, she followed everything that happened. She also felt Laurent had a difficult time. Mrs. Cleiren said that everybody understood it must have been awful in the previous school and that a period of peace and quiet was needed, which he was able to get in Wilrijk. He still had difficulties to get along at school, because he did not understand much of what was said (in Dutch). Laurent did go to the reunion of his old school in Wilrijk a few years ago, he hugged his teacher and said: thank you for all you have done for me.
After 3 years the school comes to an end to his happiest time of his childhood. He had to go to another school. His former teacher still is angry that they did not give Laurent the opportunity to stay longer and to get his diploma there. Van den Berghe says that it was a decision of the court.
After of period of great freedom he goes into the army. He is not used to cleaning up after himself, he needs to clean the toilets etc.
After this he went to a private school in Brussels, to get his diploma. He gets so at 20. The school was headed by Rudy Bogaerts. The people were not very positive about this man: 'what were they thinking?'. Bogaerts apparently also worked for a satyrical paper that loved to make fun of the royal family. They point at Jacques van Ypersele, cabinet chef of Baudouin and later of Albert. Bogaerts son defends his father and says that Laurent came there out of concern for the succession. He is the number two after Philippe. They knew that Bogaerts would treat him as everybody else and that Laurent would not receive a special treatment. Laurent actually likes Bogaerts and his school, he even lives with him and his family for a while. A new surrogate family.
The court decides to send him to a less prestigious university than his brother. They send him to the ultra-catholic Franciscan University of Steubenville. 'How do you get that into your head' an interviewed person gasps. At the court by this time everybody was greatly involved in the charismatic movement, only Laurent did not want to go along. That is why this university was picked, to lead him to the true religion. Instead of parties there are prayer sessions. He must have been very lost there. He often calls to Belgium to say how lonely he is and if he can not return.
After a year he could go back. Not to his parents but he is again sent around. Baudouin became more involved and everything needed to be reported. Once when Baudouin was in a meeting he was called by Laurent, who had trouble with a vending machine for soda, where he can't take the coca-cola out of: what should I do? It is a time when the prestige of Baudouin is the greatest, everybody looks like him like he is the messias of Belgium. Belgium as a subsidiary of the Vatican. And then there is Laurent, somebody who does not fit and who doesn't want to fit in that corset.
He is sent to the US again to be an intern for a Belgian tech company. His mentor -who really seems to dislike Laurent- says 'all of a sudden he was there' accompanied by the ambassador. He [the mentor] never received a resume. The prince did not have the right knowledge, never having finished any study. It was very difficult. His mentor told the ambassador ten times: it won't work. In december Laurent went back to Brussels. Baudouin wanted to keep him in the US and sends him back, after which the company then forced break.
More internships follow: for McDonnell Douglas, the IMF and Disney. He once visited a company with his mentor to a company where they tested on animals. He became furious and impolite. The interships all failed. He wanted to go to a prestigious university, Berkeley. The consul general gets him in. He failed there too and Baudouin had him sent home. The American years are not listed in his resumee now, as if they never happened.
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I think this is his persecution complex and low self-esteem kicking in, again maybe not unreasonably.
