Princess Delphine of Belgium has declared that she forgives her father, the former King Albert II, after more than five decades of rejection. The 57-year-old was born from her father’s extramarital affair with Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps.
Speaking in an interview, Princess Delphine, who was previously known as Delphine Boël, has discussed her feelings towards her father. She only secured legal recognition as a member of the Belgian Royal Family in 2020, following years of court battles.
Princess Delphine and her mother had previously had a close relationship with the former King, but this changed after he chose to distance himself in order to save his marriage.
In 1993, when he took to the Belgium throne, the situation further complicated any prospect of reconciliation with his illegitimate daughter.
Following success after decades of a court case, she was granted her the right to bear the Saxe-Coburg surname and official status within the Belgian royal household.
The now-91-year-old former monarch stepped down from his role in 2013.
This was due to constitutional crisis mounted over his continued refusal to submit to DNA testing in his daughter’s legal proceedings.
Speaking about the process, she said in the interview, which was only made public recently: “Has the wound completely disappeared? No. A wound like that never completely disappears and becomes a scar.”
Princess Delphine said that she felt her father would have acted different if he was surrounded by different people. She said: “I don’t think he was surrounded by good people.”
Despite reconciliation with her father, she maintains a difficult relationship with the wider Royal Family. As well as Delphine, the former monarch is a father to King Philippe, Princess Astrid and Prince Laurent, with his wife, Queen Paola.
