Car salesman granted Belgian princely title after lineage verification

Clément Vandenkerckhove, a 45‑year‑old car salesman from the Flemish town of Roeselare, was officially recognised as a member of Belgium’s royal family on Tuesday. The quiet ceremony, held at a local town hall, confirmed that he is the son of Prince Laurent, the younger brother of King Philippe, and therefore entitled to the title of prince.

Prince Laurent, who has long been a public figure due to his charitable work and occasional controversies, has previously faced media speculation about an undisclosed child. The recent registration of Vandenkerckhove’s birth records provides the first legal confirmation of the relationship, ending months of rumor.

The town‑hall event was deliberately low‑profile. Officials from the Ministry of the Interior oversaw the registration of Vandenkerckhove’s parentage, after which a brief oath was taken confirming his place in the royal lineage. No public speeches or fanfare accompanied the procedure, and the new prince’s surname will be incorporated into the official royal register.

Under Belgian constitutional law, the addition of a new member to the royal house does not automatically alter the line of succession, which remains governed by male‑preference cognatic primogeniture. Nevertheless, Vandenkerckhove now holds the courtesy title of “Prince” and will be addressed as His Royal Highness. The move also triggers a modest adjustment to the royal household’s budget, as state support extends to all recognized royals.

Reactions on social media have been mixed, with some praising the transparency of the process and others questioning the relevance of expanding the royal family. The royal palace has not issued a detailed statement, emphasizing instead that the matter is now a private family affair.

The confirmation marks a rare instance of a modern European monarchy formally acknowledging a previously private relationship, and it underscores the evolving balance between tradition and contemporary expectations within Belgium’s constitutional monarchy.