FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Prince Laurent of Belgium has officially acknowledged paternity of a 25-year-old son born out of wedlock. After years of rumors and speculation, the 61-year-old has publicly acknowledged Clement Vandenkerckhove as his biological son with model, actress and singer Wendy Van Wanten.
"With this statement, I acknowledge that I am the biological father of Clement Vandenkerckhove. Over the past few years we have spoken openly and honestly about this matter," Prince Laurent said in a press statement, adding:
"This announcement is based on understanding and respect for all involved. It is the result of a joint consultation."
The 61-year-old has stated that he will not make any further statements or additional explanations on this topic:
"Please accept this information with the discretion required by the nature of this sensitive matter."
Meanwhile, the Royal Palace, through its spokeswoman, announced that it would not comment on the Prince's statement.
On the other hand, Wendy Van Wanten had never openly stated that Prince was the father of her son.
The Brussels Times writes that the two met in Paris in the mid-1990s during a fashion show, and as Van Wanten said, they spent "beautiful moments" together.
Clement was born in 2000 and rumors about his paternity soon began to circulate. The choice of the name “Clement” was interpreted by some as a direct reference to “Villa Clementine”, the prince’s residence in Tervuren.
According to royal family expert Mario Danneels, the news was no surprise:
"There were many indications. The most obvious was undoubtedly the resemblance between father and son."
Danneels added that Wendy Van Wanten had hinted at this story in her song lyrics.
He also confessed that her manager had once contacted him to organize an interview where the singer would reveal the truth about her son, but the interview was canceled at the last moment.
According to him, the reason why this story was kept secret for so long is related to tensions within the royal family.
"A source from the court has told me that there have been strong clashes between Laurent and King Albert regarding this issue," Danneels said.
(In the photo: the singer and the prince during their secret relationship)
Lini një Përgjigje