Princess Delphine of Belgium facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Princess Delphine |
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Princess Delphine in 2024
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| Born | Jonkvrouw Delphine Boël 22 February 1968 Uccle, Brussels, Belgium |
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| Spouse | James O'Hare | ||||
| Issue | Princess Joséphine Prince Oscar |
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| House | Belgium | ||||
| Father | Albert II of Belgium | ||||
| Mother | Sybille de Selys Longchamps | ||||
Princess Delphine of Belgium (born on 22 February 1968) is a Belgian artist. She is a member of the Belgian royal family. Before becoming a princess, she was known as Jonkvrouw Delphine Boël. She is the daughter of former King Albert II of Belgium and Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps. This makes her the half-sister of the current King Philippe of Belgium. On 1 October 2020, she was officially recognized as a Princess of Belgium. She also received the title "Her Royal Highness".
Contents
Early Life and Artistic Career
Princess Delphine's mother is Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps. Her biological father is Albert II, who used to be the King of the Belgians.
Delphine went to boarding schools in England and Switzerland. She later studied at the Chelsea School of Art and Design in London. In 1990, she earned a degree in fine arts. She has also been a guest teacher at art schools in Antwerp and Maastricht.
She started the Princess Delphine of Saxe-Coburg Fund. This fund is based at Ghent University Hospital. It helps promote the use of art in health care. Delphine also designed the label for a special beer called "Cuvée Delphine." Her sculpture called Ageless Love can be seen in Gerdapark, Sint-Niklaas. In 2021, she designed the look of a special Lamborghini Art Car.
Family Life
Princess Delphine is married to James O'Hare, an American businessman. They have two children together:
- Her Royal Highness Princess Joséphine O'Hare de Saxe-Cobourg, Princess of Belgium (born 17 October 2003). Princess Joséphine went to school in Brussels. In 2022, she started studying at a university in the Netherlands. She speaks both French and English.
- His Royal Highness Prince Oscar John Patrick Tobias Léopold Michel O'Hare de Saxe-Cobourg, Prince of Belgium (born 28 April 2008). Prince Oscar attends school in Brussels.
How Princess Delphine Was Recognized
In 1999, a book about Queen Paola mentioned that King Albert might have a daughter born outside of his marriage. The Belgian news then looked into this and found Delphine. At first, Delphine and her mother did not talk about it. The palace said the book was just rumors.
Later, in 2005, Delphine gave an interview. She said for the first time that she believed King Albert was her father. She explained that her mother told her the truth when she was 17. Delphine also said she tried to contact Albert when she was 33, but he told her not to call him again.
In June 2013, King Albert lost his special protection from lawsuits. Delphine then took him to court. She wanted to use DNA tests to prove he was her father. When Albert gave up his role as king on 21 July 2013, he no longer had this protection. Delphine continued her legal case against him.
In November 2018, a court ordered Albert to take a DNA test. In Belgium, you don't have to take a DNA test, but refusing can be seen as proof of who the parent is. Albert tried to appeal this decision. However, in May 2019, the court ordered him to pay Delphine 5,000 euros every day he refused the test.
On 27 January 2020, the DNA tests showed that King Albert II was indeed Delphine's father. In October 2020, a Belgian court decided that Delphine and her children would be given princely titles. Because she was born outside of marriage, Princess Delphine and her children are not in the line to become king or queen of Belgium.
Princess Delphine met her half-brother, King Philippe of Belgium, on 9 October 2020. The next day, King Albert II said he was very happy about their meeting. On 25 October 2020, Delphine also met her father and his wife, Queen Paola. On Belgian National Day in 2021, she and her partner joined the royal family at the military parade for the first time.
Titles and Royal Status
Delphine and her children were given the titles of prince and princess of Belgium. They also received the style of Royal Highness. This happened after a court decision on 1 October 2020. Before this, she was known as Jonkvrouw Delphine Boël.
Coat of Arms
As a Princess of Belgium, Delphine has her own coat of arms. A coat of arms is a special design that represents a family or person. The designs used by the Belgian royal family are set by King Philippe. Princess Delphine's coat of arms includes a black lion on a gold background, which is a symbol of Belgium. It also has a green crown-like symbol. Her motto, "L'union fait la force," means "Unity makes strength" in French.
Film and Television
- Delphine: My Story (2022)
See also
In Spanish: Delfina de Sajonia-Coburgo para niños
