Princess Delphine & Family, News & Events 2; 2023 -

[meeralakshmi]

Does anyone know what kind of relationship Delphine and her husband and kids have with Delphine's siblings and their spouses and kids? No matter if you think Delphine is going too far in her attempt to be involved politically they do deserve to love and be loved by their newfound family. Especially the kids, I'm sure Elisabeth and Emmanuel are excited to have cousins who look like they could be their long-lost twins. I've seen a clip of Delphine and her husband speaking to Elisabeth and Eléonore but that's about it for Delphine and her husband's interactions with their newfound nieces and nephews. I haven't seen any pics of Delphine's kids with their cousins

 

[meeralakshmi]

Post by @royalbloopers · 1 video

💬 0 🔁 1 ❤️ 6 · Belgium’s National Day - 21 July 2023 Credit: Princess Delphine of Belgium

www.tumblr.com

Does anyone know the context/have the source of this fun video? At one point I was able to find it but now a reverse Google Images search isn't cooperating.

 

[Marengo]

A few years ago she participated in a tv programme 'dacing with the stars', I imagine this may be a reference to that.

 

[iceflower]

Delphine participated in a charity auction in support of the association Heart for Brain:

Delphine de Saxe-Cobourg on Instagram: "It was a privilege to be @rensonworldwide to support @heart.for.brain. A very emotional,super positive event celebrating Charlotte’s beautiful legacy. Because of Charlotte, her family and friends this amazing o

delphine_de_saxe_cobourg on May 19, 2025: "It was a privilege to be @rensonworldwide to support @heart.for.brain. A very emotional,super positive event celebrating Charlotte’s beautiful legacy. Because of Charlotte, her family and friends this amazing organisation @heart.for.brain is sponsoring...

www.instagram.com

 

[meeralakshmi]

Watched one of Delphine’s interviews and she does indeed have a mild French accent that seems to be mixed with British and/or American. If anyone can tell which I would appreciate it.

It appears that her accent is French mixed with British as she lived a lot of her life in London.

 

[iceflower]

Delphine and her family attended the world premiere of the new film „The Smurfs“ in Brussels yesterday, June 28:


** Pic ** gettyimages gallery ** rex gallery **

Rihanna arriveert 3 uur te laat op blauwe loper voor wereldpremière van ‘De Smurfen’: “Blij om hier te zijn”

Het is zover: wereldster Rihanna (37) is in Brussel. De popster woont vanavond de wereldpremière bij van ‘De Smurfen: de film’. Ze vertolkt daarin namelijk de rol van Smurfin en ze verzorgde ook de soundtrack. Naar eigen zeggen is ze “erg blij om hier te zijn.”

www.hln.be

 

[meeralakshmi]

Delphine and her family attended the world premiere of the new film „The Smurfs“ in Brussels yesterday, June 28:


** Pic ** gettyimages gallery ** rex gallery **

Rihanna arriveert 3 uur te laat op blauwe loper voor wereldpremière van ‘De Smurfen’: “Blij om hier te zijn”

Het is zover: wereldster Rihanna (37) is in Brussel. De popster woont vanavond de wereldpremière bij van ‘De Smurfen: de film’. Ze vertolkt daarin namelijk de rol van Smurfin en ze verzorgde ook de soundtrack. Naar eigen zeggen is ze “erg blij om hier te zijn.”

www.hln.be

They look adorable! Love that Joséphine is repping her mom’s designs. Someone said that she looks like Dakota Fanning and now I can’t unsee it.

 

[Marengo]

It seems that even the famous Manneken Pis was dressed up as a smurf
I belive Josephine is studying in Leiden.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Delphine took part in the latest Reigning Men podcast and gave her opinion on the Duke of Sussex ongoing woes and legal battles.
Belgian royal delivers verdict on 'traumatised' Prince Harry

 

[maria-olivia]

She wanted to be a Princess of Belgium but does not repect the rules : avoiding Podcats.

 

[An Ard Ri]

She wanted to be a Princess of Belgium but does not repect the rules : avoiding Podcats.

I don't think Madame abides by any rules and makes up her own and apparently its her second instalment in the Podcast with Daniel Rosney.
Princess Delphine of Belgium: Exclusive Interview (Part 1)
Princess Delphine of Belgium: Exclusive Interview (Part 2)

 

[maria-olivia]

In my french newspaper to day , Delphine complained in the podcast "It's Reigning Men" of Daniel Rosney that she has not a close relationship with her Brothers and Sister. They never see each other on private family events but only on Public events. She said it is difficult for them to accept the Situation but she is so happy to take apart in a family of 4 .
This comes out when on Monday we have our National Feast where she will attend with her brothers and sister.

 

[Adda]

What an incredibly nasty person. Damned be the day the benevolent King thought that inviting this woman to the national day could keep her happy.

To talk about how Albert spent more time with her than with "them" and then also have a go at Paola...only 3 days before the National Day.
This woman will never understand and accept the fact that her mother was a mistress and Albert chose Paola and his legitimate children over her. DEAL WITH IT. Delphine already received more than most -well known- bastards across the Gotha, even her children got titles but she keeps behaving like a poisonous little snake. Next round of complaints will be submitted for King's Feast, since that's a new tradition of hers.

You can not force people to love you. Stop being a brat.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Is there a written version of Delphine's comments about Albert II, Paola and their children anywhere?

 

[BriarRose]

I can't understand why she thinks her half-siblings owe her anything. But it is clear that she will never be happy, and will cling to a victim narrative for the rest of her life.

 

[maria-olivia]

In my newspaper no comments about King Albert and Queen Paola

 

[GondorHasNoPants]

If she is unhappy that she is not closer to her half-siblings, going on a podcast to complain about the situation does not seem like a great way to improve the situation to me.

I can understand her frustrations a little bit, but she needs to accept that she cannot force people into having a relationship with her, no matter how much she might want it. Polite tolerance might be all she's ever going to get.

 

[hereditarytitles]

I can still remember her story well; it was reported extensively in German newspapers for years. I didn't think it was right that Albert didn't want to admit that he had an illegitimate daughter. He should have admitted it as soon as it became public knowledge.
A good example of this is Albert of Monaco, who did not deny his paternity and has a relationship with his illegitimate children.

Delphine, however, has always claimed that she is only interested in recognition and justice, and that she is not interested in money, participation in royal life, or inheritance.

Over time, I was very surprised that her behavior and demands were completely contrary to what she had originally claimed.
That's why I can't understand her current complaints at all. She should be glad that the Belgian royal family is so friendly toward her and simply be satisfied with what she has achieved through years of litigation. To me, she is a very unsympathetic person.

What an incredibly nasty person. Damned be the day the benevolent King thought that inviting this woman to the national day could keep her happy.

To talk about how Albert spent more time with her than with "them" and then also have a go at Paola...only 3 days before the National Day.
This woman will never understand and accept the fact that her mother was a mistress and Albert chose Paola and his legitimate children over her. DEAL WITH IT. Delphine already received more than most -well known- bastards across the Gotha, even her children got titles but she keeps behaving like a poisonous little snake. Next round of complaints will be submitted for King's Feast, since that's a new tradition of hers.

You can not force people to love you. Stop being a brat.

I agree with your post, the only word that is bothering me is "bastard". That word for children born out of wedlock belongs to very old times and is a discrimination for those children, which are completely innocent. We can blame the parents , but not those children.

 

[Adda]

I can still remember her story well; it was reported extensively in German newspapers for years. I didn't think it was right that Albert didn't want to admit that he had an illegitimate daughter. He should have admitted it as soon as it became public knowledge.
A good example of this is Albert of Monaco, who did not deny his paternity and has a relationship with his illegitimate children.

Delphine, however, has always claimed that she is only interested in recognition and justice, and that she is not interested in money, participation in royal life, or inheritance.

Over time, I was very surprised that her behavior and demands were completely contrary to what she had originally claimed.
That's why I can't understand her current complaints at all. She should be glad that the Belgian royal family is so friendly toward her and simply be satisfied with what she has achieved through years of litigation. To me, she is a very unsympathetic person.

I agree with your post, the only word that is bothering me is "bastard". That word for children born out of wedlock belongs to very old times and is a discrimination for those children, which are completely innocent. We can blame the parents , but not those children.

I don't like the word bastard either, but the term isn't just used to refer to illegitimate children, it's also used as a general term to describe someone considered despicable or unpleasant. Since Delphine was born out of wedlock and is indeed an unpleasant person, it suits her perfectly and I'm sticking with it.

 

[hereditarytitles]

OK, I see. That is definitely a difference in languages. Because the "bastard" word here is only related to illegitimate children and hasn't been used since the 1960's.

 

[Benjamin]

I listened to both episodes of the It's Reigning Men podcast where Princess Delphine was a guest. The podcasts took the form of an informal interview, and there was nothing that she said that was untoward. In fact, she spoke kindly and diplomatically about her family. This has clearly been blown out of proportion by some press agencies who must be having a slow news week.

 

[Adda]

How is talking about Paola not "untoward"? “Let’s face it, King Albert was more with me than he was with them. They really missed their father. Their mother...no comment, but she wasn’t really around.”

Only Philippe, Astrid and Laurent can have a go at their parents and talk about THEIR wretched childhood. They also don't go around talking about Sybille de Selys Longchamps, do they?

 

[Benjamin]

This is my opinion only, but Delphine was being carefully honest about the situation, and I do think that she was being diplomatic. She could have elaborated about why Paola, but she did not go into it at all. The reasons for both parents’ absences in the early lives of their children are well known now. All of the children involved, both those of Albert and Paola and the one of Albert and Sybille, they did not have a choice about the family dynamics and relationships that existed at the time. They simply had to make the best of them, if they could. I feel empathy for all four of them. From a documentary that I remember watching some years ago, it was clear that Albert and Paola’s children had no contact with Sybille. This seemed to be because of Baudouin, but also, likely, the royal court itself. Based on my interpretation of Delphine’s interview, her relationship with her mother is what has suffered as a result of her reconciliation with her father and her siblings. I feel that Delphine is someone who speaks candidly, but she does weigh her words. She was born into a situation that is completely unenviable. I am glad that she has her career as a means of therapy, and that she has a good partner. I feel the same way about King Philippe, Princess Astrid, and Prince Laurent. None of them deserved what they went through as children, but they have become good people...even if Laurent and Delphine sometimes cause people headaches, which I completely understand. There are so many nuances to any person’s life experience, and they have all turned out really well given the circumstances.

 

[tihkon2]

This is my opinion only, but Delphine was being carefully honest about the situation,...

I disagree with this. She does not need to, nor have to comment on her relationship with her brothers and sister. That is not our business and in my opinion it is unfair and unnecessary of her to do so. She ensures that she won't have a good relationship with them by mentioning anything about it in public.

 

[GondorHasNoPants]

I do sometimes feel she would be better off following 'never complain, never explain'. Even if she complains politely, or explains with gentle honesty and the best of intentions, she will end up annoying people who would rather she just say nothing at all. Especially when those people are not really able to respond to whatever points she raises without causing an even bigger kerfuffle.

 

[Linda_26]

How is talking about Paola not "untoward"? “Let’s face it, King Albert was more with me than he was with them. They really missed their father. Their mother...no comment, but she wasn’t really around.”

Only Philippe, Astrid and Laurent can have a go at their parents and talk about THEIR wretched childhood. They also don't go around talking about Sybille de Selys Longchamps, do they?

Indeed. It was completely unnecessary and it's not the first time, without mentioning the awful interview that her mother Sybille gave in 2013 shortly after Albert's abdication. I remember that in the 2022 documentary about Paola, Princess Astrid said that her mother never said anything bad about anybody, even in difficult moments and when she could have been able to.
So, I really hoped that Delphine wouldn't mention her again, but obviously it's not the case. I've also seen now that she has now complained on Instagram (I saw a screen, I can no longer see her posts as she blocked me for stupid reasons) about Belgian journalists distorting what she meant to say about her half-siblings: too bad that they've simply written the words she has said. It's not the first time she does something like that, either, so I'm not surprised.
Let's wait for the annual complaint on 15th November, hopefully there won't be anything before that.

Based on my interpretation of Delphine’s interview, her relationship with her mother is what has suffered as a result of her reconciliation with her father and her siblings

It's not what I gather from this podcast or other recent interviews. Here, she says that her mother and her father are not in contact or on speaking terms (Albert broke contact with Sybille over 40 years ago, when he reconciled with Paola), which was known, but I don't remember specific references to her own relationship with her mother.

 

[maria-olivia]

There is no real Reconciliation between the Children of King Albert and Queen Paola with their half sister. We all know but Delphine speaking about that just before the National Day is not fine.
So we will see to morrow the whole Royal family . I hope Princess Claire will be there.
I hope also Princess Delphine will be dressed as a Princess , I fear for her Shoes ?

 

[An Ard Ri]

I don't think that Delphine is helping her relationship with her siblings and extended family with the interviews and podcasts.
The old saying 'less is more' springs to mind with Delphine but I feel she can't help herself once she starts!

 

[maria-olivia]

We will see this Afternoon if something changed ....

 

[Tatiana Maria]

How is talking about Paola not "untoward"? “Let’s face it, King Albert was more with me than he was with them. They really missed their father. Their mother...no comment, but she wasn’t really around.”

Yes, I am not sure of Princess Delphine’s reasoning for disclosing that her half-siblings' mother "wasn't really around" for them, even if she was presenting her honest opinion and did not elaborate further. Any deficiencies in Princess Paola's parenting during her children's childhoods presumably did not personally affect Delphine, who at the time was neither her daughter or stepdaughter and had no contact with her.

Surely it should be the prerogative of Queen Paola and her children to discuss – or not discuss – their private relationship.

Is there a written version of Delphine's comments about Albert II, Paola and their children anywhere?

Some quotes from the podcast in French papers (presumably translated from English by them):

‘Philippe, Astrid et Laurent “n’ont pas vraiment de liens forts” avec elle, affirme-t-elle. “Il n’y a donc pas beaucoup d’événements familiaux.”

“Les réunions de famille se déroulent presque toujours en public”, poursuit-elle.

“Je pense qu’ils ont du mal à accepter la situation”, explique Delphine à propos de Philippe, Astrid et Laurent, qu’elle appelle explicitement ses “frères et sœurs” (et non “demi-frères et demi-sœur”). “Ils ne me détestent pas du tout, mais je pense que c’est difficile pour eux. Ils ont aussi leur vie. J’ai la mienne. Et puis, ils sont plus âgés que moi.”

“J’aime le sentiment d’avoir des frères et une sœur. J’en ai toujours rêvé”, confie Delphine, enfant unique. […] “Je pense qu’ils ont eu une enfance très difficile, car leurs parents n’étaient pas là. Soyons honnêtes, il (Albert II, ndlr) était plus avec moi qu’avec eux. Du coup, le fait d’avoir un père leur manquait terriblement. Leur mère (Paola, ndlr)… sans commentaire. Mais elle n’était pas vraiment là.”

[…]

Concernant le refus du roi Albert de la reconnaître comme sa fille illégitime pendant des années, Delphine déclare dans le podcast: “Je ne lui en ai jamais vraiment voulu, et je ne le fais toujours pas. La faute en incombe au système. À son entourage.” Sans citer de noms, elle est convaincue qu’il a été mal conseillé par son entourage.

[…]

La nouvelle princesse n’a pas été admise dans l’ordre de succession au trône. Elle estime que cela “n’est pas très correct”.

La princesse Delphine parle sans détour de la famille royale: “Philippe, Astrid et Laurent ne me détestent pas, mais...”

La princesse Delphine n’est pas très proche du roi Philippe, de la princesse Astrid et du prince Laurent, avoue-t-elle dans un podcast, où elle explique pour la première fois sa relation avec ses demi-frères et sa demi-sœur. Des déclarations parfois surprenantes, juste avant la fête nationale...

www.7sur7.be