Princess Delphine & Family, News & Events 1; 2020 - 2023

[tommy100]

In one way - the court gave her the title and she is probably in that way continuing what she has always been doing so why not get herself so PR (and money even if not the direct fee) for doing something fun.

On the other hand - Philippe has IMO gone out his way to welcome Delphine - the meeting, the invitation to the national day parade etc. The title came from the court and is based on black and white law but the response from Philippe was much more personal and out of a desire to do the right thing - it has been repaid rather poorly IMO.

I suppose I mean - if the Palace had simply ignored the court ruling and ignored Delphine then I'd be waving flags saying "you go dance Delphine!" and stick it to them but Philippe has done nothing wrong and has tried to do the right thing and has now been let down. That is poor and shows more of Delphine's real side perhaps - otherwise why not tell the Palace earlier.

 

[Somebody]

Well, she is an accidental royal and was not raised as a royal. She is not even in the line of succession as far as I understand.

As long as she has no official role in Belgium, I think she can do whatever she wants in her private life. It is disappointing, however, that she is taking advantage of her title to become a celebrity. What I mean is that she probably would not be on Dancing with Stars if she had not become a princess in the first place.

This trend of titled royals exploiting their titles for commercial purposes (see also Harry & Meghan, Nikolai of Denmark, etc.) is indeed worrisome.

Maybe Philippe is now less happy that he invited her to the defilé? He probably should reconsider now she showed not to care that much about royal decorum. She was welcomed but blew it imho.

Wow, the condemnation because she is....dancing. On a harmless show practically every other person of note goes on, and which royals enjoy. She's not damaging anyone, and the Palace obviously cares a lot less than people on this board, or they would have made her withdraw.

Philippe is a pretty forgiving person, given the rest of his family, so I don't think he'll find it necessary to ostracize her for... dancing. And I think it will take something other than this for me to think she's actually done wrong.

They weren't aware of it until last week (when she apparently already quit practicing because of Covid), so how could the Palace have made her withdraw from something they didn't know about?

The European Royals are becoming and in a few cases have already become, more entertainment and pop culture figures than Royalty.

Bringing them to stage and screen is the natural progression of things.

You would hope those from reigning houses would be more careful but unfortunately, that no longer seems to be the case.

True, but she is now part of the family and is invited to official events, so that makes a difference. She did not gain the name Delphine de Saxe-Cobourg for nothing, it is part of her new life.

This was my first thought as well. It is something Delphine Boël would have done, but she is no more. She is now Delphine de Saxe-Cobourg aka HRH Princess Delphine - officially related to the Royal Family and that has consequences.

To me this is just overstepping a line and that's why I am done with her.

I agree. She wanted the 'full package'; that includes that you need to behave yourself in a certain way - not 'using' your title is one of them.

Wim Dehandschutter, Flanders best known royalty journalists, claims that the king is not happy with Delphine's participation. This kind of behavior -unworthy of a member of a royal family- was not expected. The frivolity of an amusement show does not fit the dignity of being a member of the royal family.

https://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20211108_97862495

Dehandschutter highlights that Delphine can do whatever she wants and there is nobody to stop her.

--

They showed a short clip on RTL and it seems that the princess indeed speaks English to her (Dutch) dance partner. Earlier on she asked for understanding about her not speaking Dutch as she was raised in the UK and by a French speaking mother.

--
In a way she is not the first one in the family, the Prince of Venice - her 2nd cousin- already participated in Italy a few years ago.

The only thing the BRF can do is distance themselves from her by no longer inviting her to official events.

And EF's case is different in that his family is no longer on the throne and there is little to suggest that they strive to regain it.

In one way - the court gave her the title and she is probably in that way continuing what she has always been doing so why not get herself so PR (and money even if not the direct fee) for doing something fun.

On the other hand - Philippe has IMO gone out his way to welcome Delphine - the meeting, the invitation to the national day parade etc. The title came from the court and is based on black and white law but the response from Philippe was much more personal and out of a desire to do the right thing - it has been repaid rather poorly IMO.

I suppose I mean - if the Palace had simply ignored the court ruling and ignored Delphine then I'd be waving flags saying "you go dance Delphine!" and stick it to them but Philippe has done nothing wrong and has tried to do the right thing and has now been let down. That is poor and shows more of Delphine's real side perhaps - otherwise why not tell the Palace earlier.

Thanks, well said!

 

[Prinsara]

Not only is she harmlessly dancing, she's doing it to donate the money to Make-a-Wish. She's not giving tell-all interviews about her family, or posing nude, or asking Philippe for money, or interfering in the business of the RF in any way, or... doing any of about ten things Laurent has done.

I think the notion of a "private princess" is still so new that people assume she must at all times behave like a raised or working princess for the privilege of the title. Well, it's not a privilege in her case; it's a right that she had to go to court for.

Delphine has also behaved in a perfectly quiet and decorous manner at all times for more than a year. I'm reasonably sure she's not even going to be the most famous and popular person on the show, so it's not exactly for attention. So she's not invited to the parade next year? We didn't know she would be anyway.

The fact that everyone immediately says this is her "true nature" and that they are finished with her are really unnecessarily condemnatory imho, as is the level of pearl-clutching.

 

[Skippy]

This immediately reminded me of the interview that King Albert gave right after Philippe ascended the throne. He didn't tell his son until a day before or so.
Delphine has practically done the same now, her father's daughter?

Condemning or not, it's not something I think a royal, whether "part-time", semi-official or whatever, should be doing.
Adieu Delphine.

 

[Michiru-Kaiou]

Not only is she harmlessly dancing, she's doing it to donate the money to Make-a-Wish.

And that, in my books, makes her good Princess material. Make-a-Wish is a wonderful organization making wishes come true for very sick children, mostly terminally ill ones. A very noble cause.

Sometimes I wonder whether the old saying "you can't have your cake and eat it, too" should not only be said towards Royalty, but also towards the public, which doesn't see why they should pay for people, who are either far down the line-of-succession or not in line at all. Just, if you're not ready to pay, you don't get to dictate the conditions.

And in this case?
Princess Delphine will dance in a show, a show that will be seen by audiences, which usually might not be very interested in watching Royalty. Therefore she will be able to draw attention to a very good cause in a way the traditional ways would not be able to. Times change, people change and it's only natural, that Royalty changes right along.

best wishes Michiru

 

[rominet09]

If she does that for charity, that's ok with me.

 

[rob2008]

Made royal and not born royal

Despite the paternity, Delphine was not born royal - nor was she raised to be royal. She has no experience or proper expectations of what it means to behave as a princess. Hence, she does not have an understanding of the boundaries that a princess should not cross. It was a massive mistake of the court to take on the responsibility of conferring royal status on her. It was a misguided and tokenistic gesture to 'correct' her exclusion because illegitimate and rejected by her father. The court/ state went too far in making her a princess. They only had to confirm that she was Albert II's natural daughter. There is no social benefit in giving her the exceptional status of royal. It makes monarchy into an arbitrary, state decision.

 

[Marchesina]

This immediately reminded me of the interview that King Albert gave right after Philippe ascended the throne. He didn't tell his son until a day before or so.

Delphine has practically done the same now, her father's daughter?



Condemning or not, it's not something I think a royal, whether "part-time", semi-official or whatever, should be doing.

Adieu Delphine.

I think a tell all interview is a tad worse than a few minutes dancing routine every week, don't you think?

I would have preferred her not to tell her brother only when things were settled but I guess being a "non traditional" kind of royal (not in line to the throne, no public duties, money given by the Belgian taxpayers)she can do whatever she pleases.
I would have preferred her not to, if you ask me, but I don't find it particularly problematic. Not in comparison to what other royals have done in the past, anyway.

Also, she is not doing it for money but for charity.


The fact that royals (even working royals) are turning more and more into entertaining material tells more about society than them as people tbh. They need to be seen to be believe, as I think QEII said, and entertainment medias (TV and social networks) are the best platform to be seen these days.

 

[Skippy]

I think a tell all interview is a tad worse than a few minutes dancing routine every week, don't you think?
I would have preferred not to tell her brother only when things were settled but I guess being a "non traditional" kind of royal she (not in line to the throne, not has not public duties nor she's funded by the Belgian taxpayers) can do whatever she pleases.
I would have preferred her not to, if you ask me, but I don't find it particularly problematic. Not in comparison to what other royals have done in the past, anyway. She is not even doing it for money but for charity.


The fact that royals (even working royals) are turning more and more into entertaining material tells more about society than them as people tbh. They need to be seen to be believe, as I think QEII said, and entertainment medias (TV and social networks) are the best platforms these days.

It's not the interview or her participation, but the short time frame in which Philippe was informed. In both cases he was confronted with a fait accompli.

From now on I'll refrain from posting here, I am finished.

 

[Heavs]

"HRHs using their titles for monetary/personal gain"

I understood that Delphine is doing it for charity - to benefit the Make a Wish Foundation.

In that sentence I wasn't specifically meaning Delphine's dancing but more the overall issue with non working royals blurring the lines of using their HRH/HH/Princess titles for personal gain/money/publicity. Which does potentially impact their families.

That's one of the reasons things like this can become a big deal or controversial. Think of "The Princess and the Shaman" and whilst Martha Louise changed the title on that stage show she continued hosting for-profit webinars as "Princess Martha-Louise of Norway" and her family couldn't stop her.

I acknowledge that it's difficult to find a line sometimes between "for charity" and "for profit" and "just living their lives with titles that they're entitled to and HRH does draw in publicity for her charity but I think it's often best to work as say plain Louis de Nassau. Everyone knows who he is anyway but it helps create a boundary and show willing.

Anyway, I'm not Belgian so I can't really comment further but I was just placing the discussion in the wider context.

 

[Prinsara]

From the very first day, she said "If there's a charity that needs me to use my title", then she would consider it. That is her "true nature", or at least she's been perfectly straightforward about her actions and motivations from then till now. That it's taken her more than a year to do something this public also says something.

Should she have said something to the Palace sooner? Maybe. Might have been more polite. However, their response to every single thing she's done over the interval has been "the Princess is a private individual and we have no comment". Whether or not Philippe is displeased (and given his reticent nature and Delphine's bolder one, I can see him thinking it's not perfectly proper), he has to maintain a decent relationship with her and probably can't cut her off so easily, because he knows he has basically no control over what she does. So it's likely smart not to fit-throw when it doesn't really matter. I don't see any of this as some sudden ingratitude on Delphine's part.

She was always going to be an unconventional princess (and that might even come from being raised more strictly than some — I don't know how many HRHs had to give their birthday presents away). She's still treading right down her unconventional line. Just because it's royalty doesn't mean "unconventional" automatically equates to wrong. Read or watch The Princess Diaries again. And just take a deep breath.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

It is not about the charity. It is about royals maintaining some decorum, some distance indeed.

Delphine will join, amongst others, tv-sexuologe Lotte Vanwezemael (known as Sexuolotte), gymnaste Nina Derwael, actor Maxim Stojanac and singer Joris van Rossem (artist name Metejoor).

It is the same as Eugenie of York compete with talkshow-host Graham Norton, diver Tom Daley, comedian Ricky Gervais. Even when it is all for the Battersea Home for Dogs, the fine line of decorum, distance any monarchy needs, is totally blurred out.

Delphine can do excellent charity work in the Brussels backyard of royal palaces with quite impoverished areas housing sans-papiers and people living in appaling conditions.

What is next? Alexia or Gabriel singing in The Voice ("for charity")? It is a direction best avoided.

 

[Prinsara]

Delphine will join, amongst others, tv-sexuologe Lotte Vanwezemael (known as Sexuolotte), gymnaste Nina Derwael, actor Maxim Stojanac and singer Joris van Rossem (artist name Metejoor).

See? I told you she wouldn't be the most famous or popular. ?

It is the same as Eugenie of York compete with talkshow-host Graham Norton, diver Tom Daley, comedian Ricky Gervais. Even when it is all for the Battersea Home for Dogs, the fine line of decorum, distance any monarchy needs, is totally blurred out.

If Eugenie did it (unlike her mother), I'm sure she would attract positive attention. Because people like and respect her, at this point. And although Battersea would be worthy, I'm sure she would do something for scoliosis, which she's devoted such effort to. And dance in many more backless dresses. ?

Decorum is necessary for a monarchy, but it's not a fixed line. It shifts and moves with the rest of it, by necessity. It also descends from the sovereign and maintains there. The most recent and private citizen-member of the family is not the lynchpin.

Delphine can do excellent charity work in the Brussels backyard of royal palaces with quite impoverished areas housing sans-papiers and people living in appaling conditions.

She's been working with hospitals and cancer foundations all year long. Perhaps you and Delphine have different ideas for her goals.

What is next? Alexia or Gabriel singing in The Voice ("for charity")? It is a direction best avoided.

When you have the title of princess and nothing else, your life is different than if you live with the sovereign or heir. If Alexia or Gabriel actually had the talent to compete, why not? It might be one way of avoiding 'chronically dissatisfied spare syndrome'.

 

[leidi]

I have the feeling Delphine is seeking attention since she doesn't have a "fixed" royal role (nothing wrong with not having one, it's a can of worms better not opened) and likes being in the spotlight.

As long as it doesn't really become problematic for Philippe, I don't really see the issue, it's about her personality, she likes that, unlike her two oldest siblings who are more of the "shy" kind and would probably not be out and about in the public eye if they could. I believe Philippe isn't really happy about this because he probably doesn't want her to become Laurent 2.0 but he knows there isn't anything he can do about it.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

See? I told you she wouldn't be the most famous or popular. ?

If Eugenie did it (unlike her mother), I'm sure she would attract positive attention. Because people like and respect her, at this point. And although Battersea would be worthy, I'm sure she would do something for scoliosis, which she's devoted such effort to. And dance in many more backless dresses. ?

Decorum is necessary for a monarchy, but it's not a fixed line. It shifts and moves with the rest of it, by necessity. It also descends from the sovereign and maintains there. The most recent and private citizen-member of the family is not the lynchpin.



She's been working with hospitals and cancer foundations all year long. Perhaps you and Delphine have different ideas for her goals.


When you have the title of princess and nothing else, your life is different than if you live with the sovereign or heir. If Alexia or Gabriel actually had the talent to compete, why not? It might be one way of avoiding 'chronically dissatisfied spare syndrome'.

It is Pandora's Box and it only leads to royals becoming completely interchangeable with the entertainment industry. My wellmeant and heartfelt advice for any monarchy is to avoid the celebrity shows trap.

 

[tihkon2]

nothing to see here....

 

[iceflower]

Princess Delphine has given an interview about her participation at "Dancing with the Stars":

"I still remember the dance lessons at school. I felt like an awkward rhinoceros in a tutu".
Asked about King Philippe watching the show she answered "Everyone has very busy schedules and I know this isn't an immediate priority. I wouldn't force anyone to watch".

The full article is only available to subscribers:

** nieuwsblad.be: Prinses Delphine gaat voluit voor ‘Dancing with the Stars’: “Ik denk dat mijn coach stalen tenen heeft” **

 

[cdm]

Here’s the IG account of Dancing with the stars in which Delphine will be participating.
https://instagram.com/dwts_play4?utm_medium=copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CWSiI41IdDd/?utm_medium=copy_link

 

[eya]

Princess Delphine for the Dancing with the Stars!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CXEItgFtjkQ/

 

[Prinsara]

She looks... pretty magical.

And her art is on the floor.

 

[cdm]

Princess Delphine & Family, General News & Events Thread; 2020 -

As of Wednesday 12th January VRT één will air a 3 part documentary about and with Delphine.
Delphine: Mijn verhaal (my story).

https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20211221_95169256

https://www.hln.be/showbizz/prinse...odem-dit-is-het-voorjaar-van-de-vrt~a5769719/

She testifies exclusively about all phases and emotions in her life and makes her own photo archive and family albums available. Her partner, mother, friends, but also her lawyers, journalist Mario Danneels, palace employees and friends from the art world also get to talk about this royal saga.

 

[Prinsara]

Now this, I'm sure the palace would prefer she not do. On the other hand, palace employees are participating? And it'll be nice to finally hear from Jim.

I also feel like the odds of hearing something shocking we don't know about the Albert saga are low (in that pretty much everything has already been put out there).

 

[Biri]

Will Princess Delphine and her family be invited to the wedding of Princess Maria-Laura and William Isvy?
How do you think?

 

[principessa]

Will Princess Delphine and her family be invited to the wedding of Prinvcess Maria-Laura and William Isvy?
How do you think?

I guess it depends on how much contact they have!

 

[rominet09]

Will Princess Delphine and her family be invited to the wedding of Princess Maria-Laura and William Isvy?
How do you think?

I really think so, after her appearance at the National day, I think she is integrated to the family now.
After all she is the bride's aunt.

 

[Prinsara]

Half-aunt, to someone she's possibly never met. I know Delphine speaks highly of Astrid, but she still may or may not want to go, or may or may not have something else to do.

I imagine if she does, Jim and Princess Josephine and Prince Oscar will come too.

But we just have to see.

 

[Somebody]

I agree. Chances are high that they (Delphine and Maria Laura) never met. While Delphine might be invited as a token of goodwill; I don't think the bridal couple has a close relationship with their grandfather's (no longer) secret child.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

From The Daily Mail, quoting The Times, quoting Princess Delphine's comments in the VTM documentary "Delphine, Mijn verhaal" airing today:

During their first meeting in 2013, she claimed to the VTM channel that he 'sneered' at her: 'Ah, because it's not going so well as an artist you need some attention.'

She added: 'At that moment I thought, "how unbelievably rude is this?"

'After the first conversation with Albert and his lawyers, I walked out of the office completely crushed and crying.

'They said I was "putting a gun to the king's head" by going to court.'

[...]

Princess Delphine said: 'The first time I visited him and his lawyers, he was very nasty and made me cry.

'I never thought I would go to court. But I did it out of a certain principle.

'After Albert said I wasn't his daughter, I needed proof. I had to know for sure.'

[...]

But when she turned 16 in 1984, the soon-to-be king - who ascended to the throne in 1993 - distanced himself from the pair to preserve his marriage.

Delphine only found out that he was actually her father a year later, at the age of 17.

She told the documentary: 'It was wonderful when she told me.

[...]

'Not about who he was, because I didn't care about the fact that he was a prince.

'But I was relieved . . . although I immediately understood that that would cause a scandal.'

The rumours of the paternity issue began swirling in 1997 and became stronger in 2001. It was then that Albert ceased contact with Delphine.

She said: 'I never felt close to him. I called him "daddy" because I was instructed to call him that. But I never felt that way.'

Delphine needed answers after being branded a 'high financial risk' by the banks - leaving her unable to open accounts for her children Josephine and Oscar, who she gave birth to in 2003 and 2008 respectively with her partner and US businessman Jim O'Hare.

She explained: 'My life and that of my children had become unnecessarily difficult and at one point it became unbearable.

'When I wanted to open a bank account for my children, it was a problem. I saw that my son Oscar was referred to as PEP: a "politically exposed person" who had been blacklisted.'

Her children have since been made an official royals - joining 20 other Belgian princes and princesses.

Delphine says she has healed the relationship with her father and retells the moment she had an emotional meeting with Albert and Paola at their lavish home in Belvedere Castle in Laeken in October 2020.

'Today I enjoy a cordial and mutually respectful relationship. But I keep my specific interaction with them private,' she said.

'I get on well with the royal family and I like them. They have been hospitable.'

The Daily Mail incorrectly states that there was a second court battle regarding the royal title. The Brussels court of appeals awarded her recognition as King Albert II's daughter and royal titles in the same decision.

The statement that there are "20 Belgian princes and princesses" is also incorrect. There are hundreds of princes and princesses in Belgium, mainly belonging to the ancien regime Belgian nobility. Perhaps Princes and Princesses of Belgium is what was meant, although that count would exclude the Kings and Queens who also hold the title.

 

[Prinsara]

She said: 'I never felt close to him. I called him "daddy" because I was instructed to call him that. But I never felt that way.'

That also makes it seem like it refers to Albert, but is probably meant to refer to Jacques Böel? (I can't imagine she was instructed to call Albert "daddy".)

Also his comments to her in 2013.....what a nice father-person. (/sarc)

 

[maria-olivia]

On french RTL at 19 h 40 also.
Delphine et son histoire in 150 minutes. producted by Warner Bros.

Don' t believe the Daily Mail as my belgian newspaper saw only part of it and did an interview of Chris Michel, the film maker who contacted himself Warner Bros.
They met in 2001 and Delphine said if one day She should tell her history , she will do it with him. So she contacted him 2 years ago and he said yes. She gave him boxes full of pictures.
The interview lasted 3 days without any problem. They had 300 minutes to be shortened to 150 minutes with Delphine's agreement .

Last Week the Palace saw the whole interview , not to critic but te be prepared from the media sollicitations.

Why did she want to speak more ? Answer : she wanted for one and for the last time explain her own Vision , "her drole de vie " .

She want to start a new live with her Father and the Members of the Royal Family.