At the other side, can you expect genuine affection towards the fruit of your spouse's extramarital affair, nestling inside your family?
When my great-grandfather returned as one of the last POWs from Siberia in 1952 his fiancée awaited him not only with the child he knew existed and who was his own, biological, daughter (my grandmother), but with another daughter, who was most definitely not his own. He accepted her without the blink of an eye, raised her, loved her as much as he did my grandmother or the two children born into their marriage, which they were finally able to enter upon his return. For him it was natural to accept my grandmother's half-sibling. And he was shocked and furious, when his granddaughter, my mother, rejected me and tried to get rid of me when I wasn't even two years old.
>>>God, what was Delphine "helpless" with her three golden spoons in her mouth...<<<
Love and affection are worth endlessly more than material wealth. I didn't grow up in wealthy, or even middle class, circumstances, we lived off the pension of my grandfather, child benefits and a little extra my grandmother got for taking me in. Enough to live, but not enough to pay for even one vacation a year. Now, that I am on early retirement (due to mental and physical health issues), still living with my grandparents, money is still not available aplenty. The financial situation never bothered me much (not even listening to my class mates' fancy vacation stories and knowing, that my summer holiday highlight was a trip to the free zoo), nope, what psychologically almost destroyed me completely was "my own mother didn't want me". If it wasn't for my grandmother and the love I got from her (unfortunately, as someone, who was psychologicall entirely clueless and who was told repeatedly I was too young for professional help, even though I badly needed it even as a small kid, she wasn't able to help me entirely, something I really don't blame her for) I would probably be a complete basket case now.
So, with my own, personal, family history I understand Princess Delphine 100% and support everything she has done. She is the victim in this story. And as such, everything that might help her deal with the situation mentally (legal, of course) is fully okay. I was never a fan of the notion, that victims should be quiet, meek, little mice, who should shut up and not bother anyone with their story. That attitude is just cruel. The one, who should really be ashamed is King Albert. And no, I don't think his position is an excuse for his behavior. If Queen Paola has a part in this (which we don't know, at least I don't), then shame on her, too, she was an adult, after all. I do also question Sybille's motives "wanting to protect the monarchy". In my books a mother shouldn't throw her child under the bus for
that. Not at all, in fact.
best wishes Michiru