Delphine Boël, daughter of King Albert II

[Helen.CH]

Originally Posted by ladongas

Why is it that ordinary, non-royal ‘absentee’ fathers are so roundly admonished for their neglect and irresponsibility, but a King is allowed to do so and his child is criticized?

This is still a widely accepted fact and parasocialising Albert gets away with it like so many others, I guess.
We do not know what happened, but to me it seems rather unlikely that Albert reacted like some report here or maybe D. has said, I'd like to think that Albert did try to find a solution that would suit all parties but D. seems to want more.
But how can she believe that forcing the former King and family would work? maybe this is just gossip and the press, she cannot believe the family would meet her open arms after all this trouble she caused, getting a title and joining them for public events ..... if her mental health is really damaged and she is far from being realistic.
I hope she finds peace with his surname(strange thing, never heard anything similar from nonnoble illegitimate children) and the attention she now has and if course the heritage (not only money). and for the couple and the royal family some peace as it is difficult enough for them in a country divided and facing huge social problems.

[ladongas]

Originally Posted by Helen.CH

This is still a widely accepted fact and parasocialising Albert gets away with it like so many others, I guess.
We do not know what happened, but to me it seems rather unlikely that Albert reacted like some report here or maybe D. has said, I'd like to think that Albert did try to find a solution that would suit all parties but D. seems to want more.
....

“...would suit all parties” or just Albert? His solution was ignore, deny, delay. This could have been dealt with many years ago... was a King really that afraid of his wife?

[Denville]

Originally Posted by ladongas

“...would suit all parties” or just Albert? His solution was ignore, deny, delay. This could have been dealt with many years ago... was a King really that afraid of his wife?

He didn't make any effort to make an arrangement that would suit all parties. Yes he just pushed the woman away, told her he was no longer her father and ignored her.. He refused to make any kind of acknowledgment until completely forced to do so.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

Indeed, he was already married to Delphine's mother at the time of Delphine's birth, or he would not automatically have been her legal father.

My understanding was that he was there to cover up the affair... and that there was little relationship between her and her legal father...

[Tatiana Maria]

Originally Posted by Somebody

What did she say about titles and membership of the RF?

I believe he was referring to the latest(?) comments from King Albert's attorney, discussed here.

Originally Posted by Helen.CH

I hope she finds peace with his surname(strange thing, never heard anything similar from nonnoble illegitimate children)

Belgian civil law does not differentiate between legitimate and illegitimate children, and that extends to the laws regarding surnames. If you are interested, this post has more information.

Originally Posted by ladongas

Why is it that ordinary, non-royal ‘absentee’ fathers are so roundly admonished for their neglect and irresponsibility, but a King is allowed to do so and his child is criticized?

Originally Posted by Denville

It is strange. Anyone would think that Delphine had stolen her father's DNA and brougth herself into life.. and that he had had no part in procreating her at all.

I am not sure what you mean. King Albert has certainly been roundly admonished in the press and on social media.

Originally Posted by Denville

My understanding was that he was there to cover up the affair...

I haven't checked the dates, but it is said that they married in 1962, and her affair with the prince did not begin until 1966.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

I believe he was referring to the latest(?) comments from her attorney, discussed here.



Belgian civil law does not differentiate between legitimate and illegitimate children, and that extends to the laws regarding surnames. If you are interested, this post has more information.





I am not sure what you mean. King Albert has certainly been roundly admonished in the press and on social media.



I haven't checked the dates, but it is said that they married in 1962, and her affair with the prince did not begin until 1966.

sorry perhaps I got that wrong.. but it seems that their marriage was just an arrangement and Boel while he accepted legal paternity did nt have much of a relationship with her..
I was referring to discussions of Albert on this forum where people claim that its all Delphine's fault for wanting her father to acknowledge her...and that she's the villain of the piece....

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

I believe he was referring to the latest(?) comments from King Albert's attorney, discussed here.

.

Indeed I was.

[Heavs]

I read that discussion and I don't see why it means she must be planning to fight for a title. Just that they are clarifying that she won't get one.

Albert has fought her every millimetre of the way on this and pre emptively putting that out there would be another way of doing this.

But even if she did try (and I don't think she would get very far) I would still say Albert is the one that comes off worse to me. He's the one that had an affair and then tried to cover it up and broke off contact. Being forced into not contesting it again by the courts is just a sorry state. I feel for the rest of the family in this situation but not him.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by Heavs

I read that discussion and I don't see why it means she must be planning to fight for a title. Just that they are clarifying that she won't get one.

Albert has fought her every millimetre of the way on this and pre emptively putting that out there would be another way of doing this.

But even if she did try (and I don't think she would get very far) I would still say Albert is the one that comes off worse to me. He's the one that had an affair and then tried to cover it up and broke off contact. Being forced into not contesting it again by the courts is just a sorry state. I feel for the rest of the family in this situation but not him.

I dont think she cares about a title.. She wanted acknowledgment, she hoped for a restoration of her relationship with her fahter.. and I think she's hurt and angry that he has, as you put it, fought her every inch of the way.

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

I believe he was referring to the latest(?) comments from King Albert's attorney, discussed here.

Thanks, I must have missed that.

Personally, I don't think she should have this title, just like with Hugo applying for his Bourbon-Parma title; however, I guess that is the consequence of changing the rules and no longer making any distinction between children born in or out of wedlock.

So, if the rules for noble family in Belgium indicate that they can be noble as long as their father is noble independent of anything else than it would be reasonable to suddenly have a princess Delphine of Belgium...

[Tatiana Maria]

Originally Posted by Somebody

So, if the rules for noble family in Belgium indicate that they can be noble as long as their father is noble independent of anything else than it would be reasonable to suddenly have a princess Delphine of Belgium...

The general rule for the nobility seems to be legitimate, direct, and male-line descent.


https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/ser...s/nobility/faq

9. I believe that I am the descendant of a noble ancestor. Am I eligible for a recognition of nobility? What are the conditions?

If the applicants consider themselves to be the legitimate direct descendent, in the male line, of an ancestor who belonged to the nobility in our regions until the end of the 'Ancien Régime' (i.e. until the abolition of the nobility in the French era) or who was officially a member of the nobility in his country of origin, they may lodge an application for recognition of nobility. [...]

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by Somebody

Thanks, I must have missed that.

Personally, I don't think she should have this title, just like with Hugo applying for his Bourbon-Parma title; however, I guess that is the consequence of changing the rules and no longer making any distinction between children born in or out of wedlock.

So, if the rules for noble family in Belgium indicate that they can be noble as long as their father is noble independent of anything else than it would be reasonable to suddenly have a princess Delphine of Belgium...

In the Netherlands, and there is a Belgian equivalent (Statute of the Nobility), titles of Nobility are ruled by the Nobility Act. Titles of the Royal House do not resort under the Nobility Act but under the Royal House Act.

The title Prince (Princess) of Belgiumis no noble title, but a title of the Royal House, and therefore does not follow the rules which apply to nobles. In the case of Hugo Klynstra: the title prince (princess) de Bourbon de Parme is incorporated into the Nobility of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg and into the Nobility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The Dutch Justice agreed with the Department of the Interior that the positive advice to the Crown for the incorporation of Hugo Klynstra into the Dutch Nobility with the title prince de Bourbon de Parme was according the law (the Nobility Act), despite opposition from the Duke of Parma.

But as titles of the Royal House are not ruled by the Nobility Act, I think Delphine makes no chance. Mevrouw Delphine van België / Madame Delphine de Belgique: yes. HKH prinses Delphine van België / SAR la princesse Delphine de Belgique: no.

[Tatiana Maria]

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

In the Netherlands, and there is a Belgian equivalent (Statute of the Nobility), titles of Nobility are ruled by the Nobility Act.

Unlike the Netherlands, there is no recent nobility statute/act in Belgium to reform the rules of inheritance, and it appears the old rule of legitimate male-line descent continues to apply. Please see the quotation from the official website of the Foreign Affairs department in my post above.

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

The title Prince (Princess) of Belgiumis no noble title,

It is. The royal decrees which rule the title Prince (Princess) of Belgium explicitly acknowledge the article of the Constitution (currently Article 113) which allows the King the authority to grant titles of nobility.

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

Mevrouw Delphine van België / Madame Delphine de Belgique: yes. HKH prinses Delphine van België / SAR la princesse Delphine de Belgique: no.

Mevrouw Delphine van Saksen-Coburg / Madame Delphine de Saxe-Cobourg is likelier, because there currently seems to be a consensus (to judge from the comments of their representatives) between King Philippe, King Albert, and Delphine herself that the proper legal surname of the royal family is "of Saxe-Coburg" and not "of Belgium".

[maria-olivia]

We have to wait September if it is not postponed due du Covid.

[Skippy]

I hope for Delphine that she will be legally recognized.
King Albert fought long and hard, dragged it for as long as he could - and he lost.

Whether she will be HRH Princess Delphine of Begium, Madame Delphine of Belgium or Madame Delphine de Saxe-Coburg - I think the simple legal recognition will be all that is important to her. Then she will no longer be Delphine Boël.

[HereditaryPrincess]

It would be miserable if Delphine lost her fight after the postponing of the verdict. I hope things work out for her.

[Prinsara]

Originally Posted by HereditaryPrincess

It would be miserable if Delphine lost her fight after the postponing of the verdict. I hope things work out for her.

I'm not sure there is anything to lose. The hearing is to recognize Albert as her legal father. She doesn't have a legal father at the moment and he's already been recognized as her biological one and said he won't contest anything. Which would make this more of a formality.

Once he is her legal father, she can change her name. Perhaps it's been hammered out behind the scenes all these months. Assuming Albert lives through this hearing, his daughter will have gotten a lot of what she hoped for.

[Tatiana Maria]

Originally Posted by Prinsara

I'm not sure there is anything to lose. The hearing is to recognize Albert as her legal father. She doesn't have a legal father at the moment and he's already been recognized as her biological one and said he won't contest anything. Which would make this more of a formality.

A minor detail, but my understanding is that, as is usual, the verdict won't be issued at the hearing itself but some days or weeks afterwards (I cannot remember the usual length of time).

I agree that Delphine is virtually sure to "win" the case since Albert's attorneys have been instructed to no longer mount a defense.

[fabaunty]

Unfortunately I do not think Delphine will get anything close to what she might have hoped for . Had Albert provided some protection for her mother from the press etc when her existence became more widely known , I believe she would have continued her discreet life . However he did not do so , therefor she decided on what I can only term as the "nuclear option " . Albert will never resume any form of relationship with either Delphine or her children , I sincerely hope that her husband's parents ? family can make up for this lack , along with her own mother .

[rominet09]

Well she got what she wanted, she is officially Albert' s daughter, she will inherit a lot of money when he's gone but affection and contacts are not likely to appear the way she got these results.... You cannot force someone to like you and have