certainly time to read some royal books :-)
This 'Books on Sunday' is about someone who lately has touched lots of
royalty watchers. It's about Delphine Boël.
Finally, after all these years, King Albert II of Belgium has admitted, in a
very cold message that Delphine Boël is his natural daughter.
But who is she?
Delphine Michèle Anne Marie Ghislaine Boël was born on 22 February
1968 as the daughter of Sybille de Seleys Longchamps and King Albert II
of Belgium. However Sybilles official husband, Jacques Boël (a member
of a noble family of industrialists) recognized Delphine as his daughter.
The couple divorced in 1978.
Delphine attended boarding school in England and Switzerland and she
studied at the Chelsea School of Art and Design in London. In 1990 she
earned her Bachelor of Arts in Fine arts.
In 1999, Mario Danneels published his book Paola from la Dolce Vita to
Queen. In this book he mentioned one sentence that King Albert II of
Belgium had a daughter born out of wedlock.
The same year on 4 December 1999, Crown Prince Philippe married
Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz (nowadays they are King and Queen of the
Belgians).
In June 2013, Delphine summoned King Albert, Philippe and Astrid
to appear in court. Boël hoped to use their DNA to prove that Albert
was her father.
The King abdicated on 21 July 2013. Boël relaunched a new trial
against him.
On 5 November 2018 the court instructed Albert to submit a DNA
test whether he was the biological father of Delphine. He refused.
On 16 May 2019 the Brussels Court of Appeals sentenced the former
King to pay a fine of 5000 euros per day he refuses the DNA test.
On 27 January 2020, King Albert issued a message in which he
admitted that the DNA test determined that Delphine was his natural
daughter.
Of course, I'm very happy for Delphine. I think most of the Belgians
have adopted her already. Now all the country is waiting for a clear signal
of the Royal Family of Belgium to welcome Delphine.
Perhaps the most interesting books about Delphine are in Dutch:
- Delphine Boël: een verhaal over liefde en onmacht;
- Onze dochter heet Delphine written by Eric Goens.
Also interesting to watch: a youtube movie about
'Onze dochter heet Delphine' with an interview with
Sybille de Selys de Longchamps.
Now King Albert II of Belgium has recognized Delphine as his
natural daughter, I hope more books about her will be published in
Dutch, French and English.
Source pictures: Bookcovers
