Belgium's royal family has gained a new prince after Prince Laurent, the younger brother of King Philippe, formally and legally recognised 26-year-old Clement Vandenkerckhove as his son. Vandenkerckhove, a former car salesman, is the son of Prince Laurent and Belgian singer and former model Iris Vandenkerckhove, better known by her stage name Wendy Van Wanten. The legal recognition reportedly took place during a discreet civil ceremony several months ago, but details only emerged publicly this week.
BBC News reported that Vandenkerckhove had been legally recognised by Prince Laurent as his son and heir. The report highlights the unusual journey of a 26-year-old former car salesman who discovered that his biological father was a member of Belgium's royal family.
The formal recognition follows Laurent's public acknowledgement in September 2025 that he was Clement's biological father. That announcement ended years of speculation surrounding Vandenkerckhove's parentage. A DNA test reportedly showed a 99.5 per cent match between the two.
The Independent reported that Vandenkerckhove was quietly brought into Prince Laurent's family at a ceremony roughly six months ago. The newspaper noted that Laurent had publicly acknowledged Clement the previous year, after a long period in which his paternity had remained a closely guarded family secret.
The recognition gives Clement legal status as Prince Laurent's son and makes him eligible to inherit from his father's private estate alongside Laurent's three other children, Princess Louise and twins Prince Nicolas and Prince Aymeric. However, his new status does not put him in line for the Belgian throne.
The New York Times, as cited in contemporary reporting on the development, reported that Vandenkerckhove is not expected to undertake official royal duties. He will also not receive a state allowance or occupy a position in the succession to the Belgian throne.
That distinction is important. Becoming a prince does not automatically make Clement a future king of Belgium. His recognition primarily establishes his legal relationship with Prince Laurent and his position within the family for inheritance purposes. Belgian rules governing public funding for members of the royal family also mean that the newly recognised prince will not receive a royal allowance.
A secret that lasted more than two decades
Clement was born in August 2000, before Prince Laurent married Claire Coombs in 2003. His mother, Wendy Van Wanten, had been romantically involved with Laurent in the 1990s. For years, speculation surrounded the identity of Clement's father. The story resurfaced publicly in 2025 when Clement appeared in a Flemish television documentary and spoke about his family history. Laurent subsequently confirmed his paternity, saying that he and Clement had discussed the matter privately and openly in recent years.
The DNA test that helped establish the relationship reportedly produced a 99.5 per cent match. Clement has since begun developing a relationship with his father, speaking publicly about their meetings and their shared interest in cars.
A prince without royal duties
According to BBC, although the legal recognition gives Clement the title of Prince of Belgium, it comes with significant limitations. He will not receive a public royal allowance, will not perform formal royal duties and will not enter the line of succession to the Belgian throne. His principal new legal right is as an heir to Prince Laurent's private estate, alongside his half-siblings.
Photo Credit: Instagram.com/clement_vandenkerckhove/
Clement also appears uncertain about whether he will adopt the Saxe-Coburg family name. He has expressed pride in the Vandenkerckhove surname, which connects him to his mother and his upbringing.
The story is therefore less about a sudden route to the Belgian throne than it is about the formal closing of a remarkable family chapter. After 26 years of uncertainty, Clement Vandenkerckhove now has legally recognised royal parentage - and a place within Belgium's royal family, even if he is not destined to become king.
