Paola, côté jardin - Interview with Queen Paola; Feb. 2022

[CrownPrincessJava]

Thank you Marengo for translating! Very interesting read.

The rawness of emotion can be felt and Queen Paola's recount should be applauded. So many want to believe Royal marriages are the panacea of marriages - young Prince finds the damsel, fall in love and the whole happily ever after. What she showed was the truth to a lot of marriages and the pitfalls of young and inexperienced adults going into marriage with their eyes shut to the reality - two people who need to work equally at the partnership. What more is she shows how children will never fix a marriage, but instead become collateral damage.

 

[maria-olivia]

Nicolas Delvaulx who knows well the Royal Family started the interview of Paola 3 years ago ! We don't know if he was asked by the French TV rtbf or the Royal Palace.
He was able to ask all the questions he wanted what was not the case of the 2013 interview. The Interviews of Delphine and Paola were coincidences but will complete the story !!
No word of Delphine in Paola's interview we will see next Friday. But it seems what we will see a sort de "eau de rose reality .....

 

[Denville]

I read the article in Dutch. The story about the doctor and Albert giving up on his son is about Philippe.

In Dutch:
Als het gaat over hoe ze in die periode met hun kinderen omgaan is Albert opvallend openhartig: “Mijn vader was erg streng, en ik deed hem na, ik was ook heel autoritair met Filip. Toen was er een arts die zei: “Het gaat helemaal niet goed met uw zoon. Hij wordt ziek als u zo doorgaat.” Mijn reactie was om hem los te laten. Ik had het anders moeten aanpakken. Maar op dat moment heb ik mijn interesse voor hem laten varen.”

Translation:
When it comes to how they dealt with their children during that period, Albert is remarkably candid: “My father was very strict, and I imitated him, I was also very authoritarian with Philippe. Then there was a doctor who said, “Your son is not well at all. He will get sick if you go on like this.” My reaction was to let him go. I should have handled it differently. But at that point I gave up my interest in him.”

Pretty strong language for a father looking back on how he treated his eldest son. I wonder whether he figured that Philip was the successor of his uncle and therefore was Baudouin's responsibility?!

That is pretty brutal IMO. Does he need to tlel this to the wrold? Why not say that he made mistakes but not go into such detail? It must be hurtful for his children.. all 4 of them that he seems to be so frank in saying I really didn't show any affection to my kids.

 

[Vicky7]

Its not anymore brutal than what delphine and her mother have been telling about for years and most recently in their documentary.

 

[Denville]

Its not anymore brutal than what delphine and her mother have been telling about for years and most recently in their documentary.

? Theres a vast difference between an aggrieved daughter, who had been rejected by her natural father, saying he had behaved badly, and the same man himself saying that he had behaved badly, and not just with Delfphine but with all his children.. It is really confirming that Albert and Paola were not very good parents and that at various stages in thier lives they really neglected all their children.

 

[Prinsara]

That is pretty brutal IMO. Does he need to tlel this to the wrold? Why not say that he made mistakes but not go into such detail? It must be hurtful for his children.. all 4 of them that he seems to be so frank in saying I really didn't show any affection to my kids.

Why make excuses, though? The only reason to be tactful is to make themselves look better, and there’s too much contradictory evidence at this point to say either of them tried. In a way, telling the truth is like making another excuse. “Yeah, I gave up [What else do you want?]” Again, I’m not sure either Albert or Paola got to the “deep regrets” stage.

The four kids all know, very well, that he withheld affection from them.

 

[Denville]

but there is no need to do this is there? They wernet great parents it seems and their marriage went through a long bad patch. But the children dont need ot have all this told to the world, do they? THey know that their parents made a lot of mistakes, and they all suffered to an extent. But for Alb and Paola to come out and give details, is only raking up painful memories and drawing attention to the problems that the whole family had. Philippe might say "My father was very strict" and his father could IMO fairly say "Yes Im afraid I was a bit too hard on my kids when they were young, I wish I hadn't been." But to start going on to admit that they more or less said to a doctor "well so what? Let him get sick -Im ignoring him and his problems" is IMO really unnecessary and unkind.

 

[Somebody]

but there is no need to do this is there? They wernet great parents it seems and their marriage went through a long bad patch. But the children dont need ot have all this told to the world, do they? THey know that their parents made a lot of mistakes, and they all suffered to an extent. But for Alb and Paola to come out and give details, is only raking up painful memories and drawing attention to the problems that the whole family had. Philippe might say "My father was very strict" and his father could IMO fairly say "Yes Im afraid I was a bit too hard on my kids when they were young, I wish I hadn't been." But to start going on to admit that they more or less said to a doctor "well so what? Let him get sick -Im ignoring him and his problems" is IMO really unnecessary and unkind.

I interpreted that story differently. When the doctor told Albert that he should be less strict on Philippe because otherwise he would get ill, Albert just completely gave up trying to raise him (because he didn't know/tried a different way of parenting). I didn't read it as if he continued in his (strict) path but instead of becoming a more loving parent, he completely walked away.

I do indeed wonder what Philippe, Astrid and Laurent think of it. On the one hand, their parents acknowledge publicly that they were indeed the problem (not their children), so their suffering is recognized; on the other hand, it includes some details that indeed probably shouldn't have been shared.

 

[Denville]

exactly. He walked away, showed a complete indifference to the child which is just as bad in its way as being too strict. Its like saying "I didn't care tuppence about him, I wasn't going to put myself out to try and see what was wrong with him.....

 

[Prinsara]

But again. The adult children all know from sad, lengthy experience what a terrible father Albert was (and how Paola wasn’t that great, either). It has been discussed in other sources, at length. Frankly I don’t think PAL should have had to be in the program and lend validity to their parents’ past selfishness and major issues, but I suppose they all chose it — but how would it help them any to have pleasantries they know are not true?

Also, the children have never been considered the problem. Even with Laurent, people have acknowledged for quite a while that his hugely messed-up upbringing is a lot of it, and with Delphine, people generally agree she was right and Albert is still a terrible father. End same as the beginning…

 

[Denville]

Well from what I recall lots of people didn't sympathise much wiht Delfine trying to have him acknolwedge her as hs child..SHe got a lot of attacks, as if she was in the wrong rather than him.)
and I'm sure that (knowing what I know of people reading things in papers or on the Net) a lot of people will get a bit of a skewed picture of the children... on the lines of "Well it seems like they could be pretty awful kids, if their parents found them so hard to deal with." I think a short admission of faults, but then leaving it, would be a lot better and kinder.

 

[Prinsara]

They were three little innocent kids. I’m pretty sure it’s manifestly made clear in this, as it has been elsewhere, that they were not responsible for their parents choosing to abdicate their roles as parents. (In fact, their parents ignoring/denying/forgetting they exist is a major theme…)

Delphine played the role of a problem when Albert also wouldn’t deal with her like a responsible adult. She has been vindicated and added to the “he’s a terrible father (and kind of a rotten person)” pile by now.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

To be fair: Joséphine-Charlotte, Baudouin, Albert and their three half-siblings themselves had a complicated youth as well, with a father under "palace-arrest" (as prisoner of war) in WWII, then the first deportation of the family to Saxony, then the second deportation in Austria, then the royal family was not allowed to return to Belgium and had to live in exile in Switzerland for 7 years.

During that time the King's brother Prince Charles was Regent, which caused a lifelong deep and bitter rift between the two. Then the King's Crisis, the abdication of Leopold III and a young Baudouin becoming King. In the meantime Albert was "raised" by stepmama Princess Lilian, both had to deal with a bitter desillusioned father / spouse.

It is really no wonder that Joséphine-Charlotte, Baudouin and Albert developed complicated personalities, all three of them pretty introvert too despite a sometimes jovial mask. Yes, the marriage of Albert and Paola was rocky and they were distant parents, but parenting at a royal court in the 1950's/1960's was very much giving the kids away to nannies and governesses, followed by boarding schools supervised by strict Catholic clerics.

He, who is without sin, cast the first stone... But to have a happy end: Philippe, Astrid and Laurent seem devoted parents and the total opposites of Albert and Paola.

 

[Denville]

They were three little innocent kids. I’m pretty sure it’s manifestly made clear in this, as it has been elsewhere, that they were not responsible for their parents choosing to abdicate their roles as parents. (In fact, their parents ignoring/denying/forgetting they exist is a major theme…)

Delphine played the role of a problem when Albert also wouldn’t deal with her like a responsible adult. She has been vindicated and added to the “he’s a terrible father (and kind of a rotten person)” pile by now.

But not everyone knows a lot about theme. So if there is a tv programme or the like and people watch a bit of it, and it dwells on their bad parenting.. its going to remind the public that relationships in the family were not good. I think that a lot of people get the wrong end of the stick with regard to various stories and that's WHY the motto of most upper class people and royal houses is "Never apologise, never explain". Because they know that people will get the wrong end of the stick.. If royal parents have been at fault.. and lets face it, all of htem are bound to make mistakes being but human, keep it quiet. APologise within the family adn try and do better. Maybe in mature years, issue a small scale statement that you did make some mistakes but dont dwell on it all.....

 

[Prinsara]

As a side topic, it’s rather extraordinary that Albert’s got the luck or ability to mend fences like he has.

You’d think Paola OR Sybille OR at least one of his kids wouldn’t mention his name at this point; not so.

 

[Denville]

As a side topic, it’s rather extraordinary that Albert’s got the luck or ability to mend fences like he has.

You’d think Paola OR Sybille OR at least one of his kids wouldn’t mention his name at this point; not so.

I hardly think so. Royals generally have to put on a face in public..... and its possible that they have now all done thier best to get over the bad times of hte past.. so thats kind of my point. Why rake it all up again?

 

[Prinsara]

I hardly think so. Royals generally have to put on a face in public..... and its possible that they have now all done thier best to get over the bad times of hte past.. so thats kind of my point. Why rake it all up again?

Sybille, for one, is not royal, has no call to anything and has freely admitted to screaming at Albert for extreme lack of helpfulness, but speaks relatively well of him now; Paola was openly estranged from him for forever, and the kids have either been completely estranged (Delphine) or just short of it (the boys). There’s even believable rumor that Laurent kept a dossier with any dirt he could find on Albert, hoping to ruin him.

None of that is normal for any family, not even for royals. The fact that they are now finally sort of cohering as a caring family is both new and pretty remarkable (and undoubtedly due to Philippe being in charge, not Albert). The fact that Albert hasn’t been made into an unacknowledged Prince Andrew figure by this point, equally remarkable.

 

[Marengo]

Sybille, for one, is not royal, has no call to anything and has freely admitted to screaming at Albert for extreme lack of helpfulness, but speaks relatively well of him now; Paola was openly estranged from him for forever, and the kids have either been completely estranged (Delphine) or just short of it (the boys). There’s even believable rumor that Laurent kept a dossier with any dirt he could find on Albert, hoping to ruin him.

None of that is normal for any family, not even for royals. The fact that they are now finally sort of cohering as a caring family is both new and pretty remarkable (and undoubtedly due to Philippe being in charge, not Albert). The fact that Albert hasn’t been made into an unacknowledged Prince Andrew figure by this point, equally remarkable.

What would be the source for such a rumour, which makes it believable? I don't remember hearing such a thing before.

I am not quite sure why King Albert would need to be crusified with such gusto at this stage. The family seems to have forgiven him, his wife surely did. They all moved on. It is a very different story than with the Duke of York.

There are many other royals of his generation and before who do/did not win the parent-of-the-year award. As Duc_et_Pair pointed out the king's own father was a rather difficult character, as was his stepmother, his sister, etc. Other royals have however been less open about their parenting skills -something they are perfectly entitled to be quiet about of course - we have f.e. never heard the Queen of the UK talk about her shortcomings as a parent even though her own son said there were plenty.

 

[Moran]

The very fact that they could all accept it and show it on camera makes me think that they did the important work behind the scenes - as they should. I believe King Albert and Queen Paola realize that their treatment of their children wasn't acceptable - and they know people watching the interview are aware of this as well. You don't need to wail and bemoan your younger self's conduct to know that behavior like the one he described towards Philippe didn't paint him as much of a father. In fact, it painted him as a rather wretched one.

Amends and reconciliations are for behind the scenes. I never watch reality shows and I really won't appreciate a royal one.

Apart from everything else, I'd rather keep some royal "mystique".

Actually, I think it's rather remarkable that they went on TV to openly say they sucked in what is one of the most important jobs in people's lives. This surely takes guts.

 

[Prinsara]

What would be the source for such a rumour, which makes it believable? I don't remember hearing such a thing.

From a translation of a Humo article (I knew I heard it somewhere): https://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f123/prince-laurent-accused-of-fraud-13706-3.html#post557542

“The prince blackmailed his parents. 'Laurent wanted revenge. 'If they throw me down I will drag my father with me, he said to anybody who would listen. He did research about untidy businesses within his family. He was helped by Rudy Bogaerts, private teacher of the Prince. Laurent collected documents against his father.”

Somehow, it’s believable. If not to take him down, then as his own insurance.

I am not quite sure why King Albert would need to be crusified with such gusto at this stage. He has been an excellent king. The family seems to have forgiven him, his wife surely did. They all moved on. It is a very different story than with the Duke of York.

There are many other royals of his generation and before who do/did not deserve the parent-of-the-year award. As Duc_et_Pair pointed out the king's own father was a rather difficult character, as was his stepmother, his sister, etc. These others have however been less open about their parenting skills, we have f.e. never heard the Queen of the UK hear about her shortcomings as a parent even though her own son said there were plenty.

The Duke of York has at least never been accused of being anything to his children other than a loving father. If he had a Delphine and treated her the same, he would have been gone long ago. (The British tabloids seeing to that.)

And the Queen of the UK follows never complain, never explain, which doesn’t apply outside Britain, seemingly.

And I didn’t say Albert would be sent to Coventry for similar behavior — just for also infuriating everyone around him. In this case by treating them poorly, not other people.

 

[Marengo]

I suppose 15 years is a long time to remember, but thank you for refreshing my memory. I am not sure how reliable Mr. Bogaerts was, Belgian posters will know more about it perhaps.

 

[Prinsara]

Thanks for the reminder. I suppose 15 years is a long time to remember, but thank you for refreshing my memory.

No, but there were still allegations or at least talk the Palace had to deny. That was the first thing that came up trying to google Laurent’s dossier. (If Laurent told “everyone” he was blackmailing his father — the telling seeming very Laurent — then a few people would presumably be aware. Whether they believed him is another story. Also assuming this is true, there is the question of what Laurent did with his findings. Presumably they are destroyed or Philippe has them by now.)

That aside, it’s not that behavior that would get Albert ostracized , just having the family turn on him for treating them badly. I think that would have been just as believable as the reconciliations that have happened.

 

[maria-olivia]

This is a thread about Queen Paola .

Prinsara , They were never real proofs about Prince Laurent allegations against his Father

Mr Bogaerts passed away in 2007 and was Redacteur en Chef of Père Ubu , known for satiric and wrong informations ! He started the Dutch PAF stopped by Minister Guy Verhofstadt .

I stop reading these foreign informations which are unrespectful tor my Royal Family.
Amen

 

[Denville]

Th
Actually, I think it's rather remarkable that they went on TV to openly say they sucked in what is one of the most important jobs in people's lives. This surely takes guts.

Guts? Id say stupidity or possilby arrogance. What is gained by a public programme talking about family problems? I think its only hurtful for teh children..

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Guts? Id say stupidity or possilby arrogance. What is gained by a public programme talking about family problems? I think its only hurtful for teh children..

Not talking about it would be like avoiding the big, pink elephant in the porcelain cabinet. If one engages in an interview about someone's life, such profound publicly known crises can not go unmentioned.

 

[Denville]

Why talk about it? Why not say "Yes we had our problems, for many years but we found a way ot reconcile. "

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Why talk about it? Why not say "Yes we had our problems, for many years but we found a way ot reconcile. "

No idea. Maybe they wanted to make it clear in the public that all is well now.

 

[Denville]

But we know (even I who doesn''t take much interest) that their marriage went through a long period of unhappiness and estrangement and htat in later life, they reconciled and are now, one hopes, a united happy couple. That's all they need to tell the public and it is already known.

No, but there were still allegations or at least talk the Palace had to deny. That was the first thing that came up trying to google Laurent’s dossier. (If Laurent told “everyone” he was blackmailing his father — the telling seeming very Laurent — then a few people would presumably be aware. Whether they believed him is another story. Also assuming this is true, there is the question of what Laurent did with his findings. Presumably they are destroyed or Philippe has them by now.)

That aside, it’s not that behavior that would get Albert ostracized , just having the family turn on him for treating them badly. I think that would have been just as believable as the reconciliations that have happened.

Laurent does not seem to be a great guy, but he clealry and all the children, have some reason to get angry with their parents.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Its not anymore brutal than what delphine and her mother have been telling about for years and most recently in their documentary.

I have to disagree. Delphine was raised in a home with parents who were present. She was loved deeply and wanted by the man she knew as her father for her entire childhood.

It was Delphine who rejected the man who WAS her father in every way except biology, in favor of pursuing recognition by a man who had done nothing to deserve the title or contribute to her life except to contribute DNA via an illicit affair with her mother and who was not coincidentally a member of the Belgian RF.

It sounds harsh because it is. All my sympathy is for Philippe, Astrid and Laurent. Very little left for Delphine and her mother.

 

[Denville]

No, she wasnt. Her legal father did NOT Show her affection and Albert after treating her as a daughter for a time turned against her. She had a perfect right to try and get some recognition from her father, and he turned nasty to her, and refused to acknowledge her.. and this has all been discussed recnetly with people agreeing that her legal father had not doen any more than give her legal recognition