From Car Salesman to Royalty: Belgium’s New Prince Claime Vandenkerckhove

Belgium’s Prince Laurent has officially recognised 26‑year‑old former car salesman Clément Vandenkerckhove as his son and heir after a DNA test confirmed paternity.

The new prince, who was known for his career at a car dealership, will not receive a royal allowance and will not be included in Belgium’s line of succession or public royal activities.

At the time of the announcement, Vandenkerckhove was still unsure whether he would adopt his father’s Saxe‑Coburg name. In a recent interview with Het Nieuwsblad, he emphasised, “I am proud of the name Vandenkerckhove. If I were to sacrifice that family name, it would be a betrayal of everything my mother has done for me.”

The secret integration into the royal family unfolded quietly at a town hall ceremony six months ago, but the details have only recently leaked to the public.

Vandenkerckhove’s father, Prince Laurent, had previously been in a relationship with Belgian singer Wendy Van Wanten, whose real name is Iris Vandenkerckhove. After Van Wanten’s relationship, Laurent went on to marry Princess Claire in 2003.

The documentary series on Flemish TV VTM aired last September, where Vandenkerckhove described meeting the prince unexpectedly in a shopping centre in 2013. He was only 16 when his mother revealed his father’s identity, and he later decided to contact the prince, initiating several phone calls that eventually led to a DNA test.

Prince Laurent says, “We went to the hospital together and I remember him saying ‘I’ll go first so you’re feeling at ease’.” The lab confirmed a 99.5% match, affirming Vandenkerckhove’s lineage.

The DNA test echoes the earlier discovery involving former King Albert II, who admitted in 2020 to fathering a daughter during an affair after a protracted paternity battle, leading to her recognition as a royal and the subsequent title change to Delphine de Saxe‑Coburg.

Under the 2013 amendments to Belgian law, only select members of the royal family—King Philippe, King Albert II, Prince Laurent, and Princess Astrid—are entitled to public allowances.