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

[Prinsara]

I'm just gonna say... called it. https://www.theroyalforums.com/foru...er-of-king-albert-ii-6319-90.html#post2342024

 

[rominet09]

Very proud of my King but I wonder what was his father and mother's reaction to that statement ? It must be awfully akward during familial meetings.

 

[ladongas]

‘Our son is a wise king’ is what they should be thinking.

 

[Prinsara]

In the official communication (on Monarchie.be), she is called HRH Princess Delphine, so she is addressed with her new title, which is another sign of acceptance of her new status as Princess.

N.B. Not sure why she is 'The' Princess Delphine in the title of this topic and not just 'Princess Delphine'. I've never heard of the use of 'The' in front of prince(ss) in the Belgian context - other than for the head of a family such as 'The Prince of Ligne' (and surely not in combination with someone's first name).

I think the 'The' is just "the thread", not with reference to Delphine. It might be a bit unstandard wrt normal thread titling, but I don't think anything else was meant.

 

[Eskimo]

Yes. Delphine and/or her children could create problems for his Heir. Philippe is indeed being smart and thinking strategically to defuse the situation created by his self absorbed parents....and neutralizing Delphine in the process.

I am a little confused by the lack of compatibility between Mathilde and Paola. Other than the intense closeness between Mathilde and Fabiola, and Mathilde's obvious preference for her..are there other reasons?

We’ve seen examples of what “crappy” parents Albert and Paola. It’d not a stretch to imagine Paola being a nightmare MIL

What does that mean??? People are not responsible for being "illegitimate" nad the law does not recognise this concept...

In the world of royalty “illegitimate” was, and continues to be, a bad thing. Otherwise Royal history would be quite different

 

[Denville]

In the world of royalty “illegitimate” was, and continues to be, a bad thing. Otherwise Royal history would be quite different

What do y ou mean by a "bad thing"???

 

[leidi]

Awwwwwww! (Okay, as someone who's been beating the "Philippe please be nice to your other sister" drum for a long time, this is a very nice thing. Good on you, kids.). Awwwww!

Edit: imagine if they both wore all the colors at the same time.

Don't put ideas on Philippe's head, we all know how he is with colors in his clothes... ?

 

[Prinsara]

Don't put ideas on Philippe's head, we all know how he is with colors in his clothes... ?

But she's the artist! Maybe she could help find a less eye-searing combination for him, since she is better at it and it's a hobby they both share! ?

 

[leidi]

But she's the artist! Maybe she could help find a less eye-searing combination for him, since she is better at it and it's a hobby they both share! ?

He's a lost case, I mean, that outfit at the latest Car Free day was ????
And his ties, lord, his ties when he's wearing "normal" suits lmao.
You can only rely on him dressing "normal" when he's in uniform or in black/white tie, otherwise there's always going to be something awful and in weird colors in his outfits ?

 

[leidi]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1316977727824678920

The foto of Philippe and Delphine made the front page of ALL Flemish media today.

 

[Countessmeout]

I am glad to see Philippe and Delphine meeting. There is some hope she will be invited to private events.

The court can order her to be treated like a royal in public. But a private relationship they have no control over. Philippe can't be ordered to invite her to dinner.

The only comparable situation to Delphine would be... Charlotte of Monaco? With the major differences that Charlotte was fully legitimized and put into the succession.

Has anything else like this happened in the last two hundred years? Other than Carlos Klynstra.

Charlotte and her siblings? Charlotte is in the same boat as her brothers.

Caroline's children are not comparable. They were not the product of adultery. They were born outside of wedlock in the eyes of the church (as the church didn't issue an annulment until later). Under Monaco law, if a child is born out of wedlock but their parents marry, they enter the line of succession. We see that with Andrea's and Charlotte's younger son.

Carlos is also not comparable. His parents were not married, but they were also not married to anyone else.

The adultery here is a huge difference between Delphine and others.

 

[berry]

I am glad to see Philippe and Delphine meeting. There is some hope she will be invited to private events.

The court can order her to be treated like a royal in public. But a private relationship they have no control over. Philippe can't be ordered to invite her to dinner.





Charlotte and her siblings? Charlotte is in the same boat as her brothers.

Caroline's children are not comparable. They were not the product of adultery. They were born outside of wedlock in the eyes of the church (as the church didn't issue an annulment until later). Under Monaco law, if a child is born out of wedlock but their parents marry, they enter the line of succession. We see that with Andrea's and Charlotte's younger son.

Carlos is also not comparable. His parents were not married, but they were also not married to anyone else.

The adultery here is a huge difference between Delphine and others.

Not Charlotte Casiraghi, Charlotte of Monaco the mother of Prince Rainier, who was born out of an affair and later as lack of heirs, legitimized by Louis II of Monaco.

 

[An Ard Ri]

We belgians have a Great King.
As Head of State He could do nothing during the Affaire was still at the Court. Since the Court Decision Delphine is Princess of Belgium , He acts as A Brother. Well done.They both signed Philippe et Delphine. (same smile )
I think at Belvedère Castle they must be devasted . Philippe did what Alert II did not !!

Yes you have Maria Olivia,its something that possibly should have been done sooner but none the less a wonderful gesture by the king.

 

[Countessmeout]

Not Charlotte Casiraghi, Charlotte of Monaco the mother of Prince Rainier, who was born out of an affair and later as lack of heirs, legitimized by Louis II of Monaco.

Its still not the same situation. Princess Charlotte's was not the product of adultery. Her mother was divorced from her first husband before her affair with Louis. The fact that not one but both of Delphine's parents were married to other people at the time of her conception, is a major difference that cant be over looked.

Charlotte was not legitimized in the same way either. She wasn't legitimized therefore automatically part of the line of succession. The law was passed that in absence of a legitimate heir, the prince could adopt an heir. Charlotte was adopted by her father as the heir to his title. She was adopted by her father in 1919, not legitimized in the traditional sense.

 

[Marchesina]

Don't put ideas on Philippe's head, we all know how he is with colors in his clothes... ?

He never got the memo where it is written that he is half Italian, fashion-wise. Lol

 

[leidi]

He never got the memo where it is written that he is half Italian, fashion-wise. Lol

He's got a bit of Lapo Elkann in him. With the colors at least.
Philippe is hands down my favorite royal man but his taste in clothing is just beyond tragic ?

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Now that Delphine has the title of Princess, will the press refer to King Philippe as her brother or as her half brother?

 

[Marchesina]

He's got a bit of Lapo Elkann in him. With the colors at least.
Philippe is hands down my favorite royal man but his taste in clothing is just beyond tragic ?

Lapo is what I call an extravagant man, but always (well, almost always) extremely à la mode. He actually sets the trend, most of the time, like his grandfather Gianni did.
Philippe is just a mess.
Mathilde has made some odd fashion choices sometimes, but one would think she had more saying on her husband's outfits. And yet...
I just hope the boys won't follow his footsteps.

 

[Dalriada]

I am glad this modern fairytale is capturing the imagination of the English speaking g world too with a prime time documentary on Australian television:

 

[Jacknch]

After so many years of the Court case, the uncertainty and unpleasantness associated with the whole sage, it is a perfect outcome that King Philippe has finally met his half-sister, Princess Delphine.

He has handled it all in the only way he could given his position as head of state, avoiding a conflict of interests with the Courts and maintaining a silence up until now.

And the King has handled it magnificently, with wisdom and now kindness and that is what I admire in any good monarch.

Seeing them both side-by-side really does make it obvious they are brother and sister!

 

[leidi]

https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20...2BD33C85C69844F6A30C57A65C16D2EAFEF271FE9045F

Ok, so this article is about how Philippe addressed two big issues in the last 3 months or so: the Congo atrocities and the legal recognition of his sister.

The use of their names and not titles indicate that they see each other as family and it is expected that in future meetings Mathilde, James and their respective children will be there to meet each other.

Seems like he only send word to Albert that he was going to meet Delphine, didn't ask for a blessing or anything, he did it out of courtesy and basically laid down the law: "I am the Head of the House".

To the King, the future of the monarchy is much more important than the relationship with his father and it makes sense, specially now that his eldest child is an adult and she has to start carving her own path.

And finally, that Philippe is working hard to fix the mistakes of his predecessors and thus assuring the future of his house.

 

[Denville]

It sounds like h'es handled it very well and managed to accept Delphine as his sister and a member of the RF...

 

[principessa]

I wonder when Princess Astrid will meet her halfsister Princess Delphine! Or if a meeting had already take place.

 

[Skippy]

I wonder when Princess Astrid will meet her halfsister Princess Delphine! Or if a meeting had already take place.

I doubt it. Is Princess Astrid not the most conservative of all three siblings?

 

[Addapalla]

What do y ou mean by a "bad thing"???

Do innocent newborn babies themselves ever not conform to law or to rules? What is not legitimate does not conform to law or to rules. How can one look at an innocent newborn baby and call it either legitimate or illegitimate?

Call the parents and their behavior whatever you want, but to say this innocent is legitimate and the innocent one next to it illegitimate is ignorant and horrible no matter how widely or officially used the terms are used.

Parent's actions may be legitimate or illegitimate, or maybe the circumstances of someone's birth might considered so -- but an innocent child bears no responsibility whatsoever for what happened before they came to be. - So why continue to taint one another with dehumanizing labels?

 

[Marengo]

I doubt it. Is Princess Astrid not the most conservative of all three siblings?

I do not know if she is the most conservative member of the family but she seemingly has a cordial relationship with both her parents and perhaps does not want to get involved. If so that is of course her good right, she is under no obligation to meet her half-sister.

 

[Mbruno]

https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20...2BD33C85C69844F6A30C57A65C16D2EAFEF271FE9045F

Ok, so this article is about how Philippe addressed two big issues in the last 3 months or so: the Congo atrocities and the legal recognition of his sister.

The use of their names and not titles indicate that they see each other as family and it is expected that in future meetings Mathilde, James and their respective children will be there to meet each other.

Seems like he only send word to Albert that he was going to meet Delphine, didn't ask for a blessing or anything, he did it out of courtesy and basically laid down the law: "I am the Head of the House".

To the King, the future of the monarchy is much more important than the relationship with his father and it makes sense, specially now that his eldest child is an adult and she has to start carving her own path.

And finally, that Philippe is working hard to fix the mistakes of his predecessors and thus assuring the future of his house.

I said before that the King would not contest Delphine's title in the courts (as he would probably lose any appeal), nor would he move to strip her from the title, which he could do with the approval of the government, but would be politically toxic. Reaching out to Delphine is probably the most sensible move from a PR point of view, but it may come across as just a PR stunt to boost the popularity of the Royal House.



And, to play the contrarian here, passively accepting the extension of royal titles to illegitimate or legitimized children may look like a smart move in the short term, but, in the long run, it weakens the monarchy as an institution. Again, it is a choice for short-term popularity that will harm long-term stability.

 

[Prinsara]

I am a little confused by the lack of compatibility between Mathilde and Paola. Other than the intense closeness between Mathilde and Fabiola, and Mathilde's obvious preference for her..are there other reasons?

Not to go too far OT, but since Mathilde appears to love Philippe greatly, if she feels Paola did not [miserable, neglected modern-day abusive childhood goes here...], or at least never supported him properly, then it's not too strange Mathilde's not fond of hearing about her. IMHO.

 

[Marengo]

Both on instagram as on facebook the post of the King and Delphine has broken the record for most 'likes' on a message from the Belgian royal family, over 13.000 and 12.000 respectively, according to the Telegraaf.

-
The press is unanimously positive. HLN talks about 'the royal welcome she deserved' while de Morgen says 'He can do it after all' - a reference to the 1991 remarks by former court marshall Herman Liebaerts, who said about Filip: 'he can't do it'. The photo of the two is on the cover of all Belgian newspapers.

 

[maria-olivia]

the Day of King Albert II 's Abdication , He did thank Queen Paola for her support. Mathilde on her left smiled to her , but She did not look and smiled too Minister Ongelinckx who was sitting on her left side.