Delphine Boël, daughter of King Albert II

[Eskimo]

With his behavior and policies since his ascension to the throne, King Philippe has indicated that he feels state funding, an official public role taking on royal engagements, a publicly-funded royal residence, and the use of HRH and "of Belgium" are privileges, not entitlements, and that he believes as King he can (with the collaboration of the Government) ration them as he sees fit - which is to focus them on his own wife and descendants.

There has been reporting from credible royal journalists that this attitude has been a major source of friction between him and his (legal) siblings. Regardless of the rebuffs, King Philippe has not walked back his decisions.

While he may support compensating Delphine Boël from King Albert's private funds, my view is that it strains belief to think Philippe will support her wish to receive an official public role, state funding and housing, and royal titles for herself and her children.

Nevertheless, should the courts order that Delphine receive state funding, state housing, and/or royal titles, I believe Philippe will comply with the terms of the final ruling.

However, if the courts order that Delphine be given an official public role, I predict that Philippe will limit that role as narrowly as the ruling permits.

I can’t think the court would have any jurisdiction to order an official role for Delphine even if they wanted to.

 

[Addapalla]

So no decision yet about Delphine's future surname and/or title ?

 

[Moonmaiden23]

The very idea strikes me as so absurd.....

 

[Tatiana Maria]

So no decision yet about Delphine's future surname and/or title ?

No, and nor has there been a decision on whether she will be legally acknowledged as King Albert's child (that outcome is virtually assured) or whether her request for privileges including a state dotation and housing will be granted. The court is expected to hand down a decision on October 29, though according to royal reporter Wim Dehandschutter it is possible that the date could be brought forward.

 

[Prinsara]

Does the court have jurisdiction to rule over anything except the original expectation of legal paternity and subsequent name change?

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Does the court have jurisdiction to rule over anything except the original expectation of legal paternity and subsequent name change?

King Albert's lawyers are contending it does not (as a matter of fact, they contend that even the name change requires an administrative procedure), while Delphine Boël's lawyers clearly consider that it does.

Prince Laurent once stated that he intended to mount a legal challenge to the cut imposed by the King and Government on his dotation in 2017, so the argument that a state-funded salary is a legal entitlement is not new. Has anything come of his planned lawsuit? I was unable to find anything more.

 

[Prinsara]

“Delphine's position isn't that she wants or doesn't want to be princess,” her lawyer Marc Uyttendaele said.

Interesting. (The rest of his quote is well-known, but she wants "the same" as her half-sibs) So it's not really about being a princess, then. Just some sort of equal treatment. On the other hand, "Princess" is the only title she could pass to her children.

I'm also fairly sure Albert's lawyers have argued a court-awarded decision would constitute a major precedent with all the rest of the illegitimate children of Belgium.

If Delphine wants the title (and does she truly want the princess duties? honestly?) she is going to have to ask big brother very nicely.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

“Delphine's position isn't that she wants or doesn't want to be princess,” her lawyer Marc Uyttendaele said.

Interesting. (The rest of his quote is well-known, but she wants "the same" as her half-sibs) So it's not really about being a princess, then. Just some sort of equal treatment. On the other hand, "Princess" is the only title she could pass to her children.

All of the press articles I have seen did cite the entire quote. From the same link:

Lawyers for the 52-year-old artist and aristocrat have now lodged a demand at a Brussels court that Ms Boël be allowed to take the title of princess, be referred to as “her Royal Highness” and bear the name of Saxe-Coburg. [...]

“Delphine's position isn't that she wants or doesn't want to be princess,”her lawyer Marc Uyttendaele said.

"She does not want to be a child on the cheap, she wants to have exactly the same prerogatives, titles and qualities as her brothers and sisters.”​

Mr. Uyttendaele is unequivocal that his client asks to be granted the same titles, and the same prerogatives, as her future half-siblings. The first part of the quote which you cited is simply his declaration that the requests are motivated by equality and not greed.

I'm also fairly sure Albert's lawyers have argued a court-awarded decision would constitute a major precedent with all the rest of the illegitimate children of Belgium.

The only argument which they have publicly utilized up to now is the one mentioned in the article:

Once again Ms Boël was opposed by her father’s lawyers, who argued that it was for the monarch, and not the court, to decide on such titles by decree. The court will hand down its judgement on October 29.

[...]

“As far as the title is concerned, it is not a prerogative of the court but a prerogative of the executive power, in our opinion,” said Alain Berenboom, the former king's legal counsel.​

If Delphine wants the title (and does she truly want the princess duties? honestly?) she is going to have to ask big brother very nicely.

She may not need to if the courts override the laws currently in force to rule in her favor, as they have done before in this process.

 

[Prinsara]

I'm wondering why on Earth the 2005 law wasn't written limiting titles to "the legitimate descendants" of Albert. How short-sighted or invulnerable or wanting to deny the existence of illegitimate kids was Albert feeling? Did he truly believe Delphine would never get this far?

 

[Tatiana Maria]

I'm wondering why on Earth the 2005 law wasn't written limiting titles to "the legitimate descendants" of Albert. How short-sighted or invulnerable or wanting to deny the existence of illegitimate kids was Albert feeling?

I assume you mean 2015? I recommend reading the explanations in the Titles and Styles thread, but to answer briefly: The likely reason is that the original intent of the series of royal decrees in 1891, 1991, and 2015 was never to rule on which descendants would or would not be titled as princesses and princes. Their original intent was only to rule on which princesses and princes would be referred to by the name "of Belgium".

Did he truly believe Delphine would never get this far?

This is speculation only, but I suspect the 2015 decree may have been written by Philippe (Albert abdicated in 2013) with Delphine in mind. The series of posts I am writing in that thread will explain this more thoroughly.

 

[Marengo]

This thread has reached over 90 pages. With the Brussels court ruling that Delphine is now HRH Princess Delphine of Belgium a new chapter has started.

Posts have been moved here.