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Delphine Boël: genetic test proves Albert's paternity
Photo: Dirk Waem / dpa
Is she a king's daughter yes or no?
In the case of the 52-year-old artist Delphine Boël, this question has preoccupied the Kingdom of Belgium for years.
There has been scientific proof since January: According to a genetic test, the former King Albert II is her father.
A confirmation of the judiciary is still pending, but now very likely imminent.
This Thursday there was to be a final hearing on the matter before the Brussels Court of Appeals, in camera.
A court spokesman said in advance that the judges would consult again after the hearing and that there would be no decision this week.
So Boël has to keep waiting.
She is used to that.
Already in 1999 a biographer speculated about an illegitimate child of the now 86-year-old Albert.
Boël has been fighting in court for recognition as a king's daughter since 2013.
At first it failed, but in 2018 the Brussels Court of Appeal ruled that Albert had to undergo a paternity test.
And threatened with a fine of 5000 euros per day if he refused the test.
"That was too hard"
Albert finally agreed, but initially did not want to see the results published.
At the end of January he then admitted paternity through his lawyer.
For Boël, that could have been the end of a long fight.
But she was also disappointed with the tone of the message from Albert's lawyers: "That was not nice. That was too hard," she said a few weeks ago in an interview with the Belgian broadcaster VRT.
At the same time, the 52-year-old complained about her relationship with her father's relatives: "I was the shame of the royal family."
The court proceedings should not only be about paternity, but also, for example, whether she keeps her name or takes the name of the Belgian royal family: Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha.
The title "Princess of Belgium" could also be discussed - and argued about a lot of money.
Boël could inherit part of Albert's fortune.
So far, she has emphasized that none of that is important to her.
She told VRT that she started the process so that her children would not have to wonder where they came from: "I would have done the same thing if my father had been a zoo director or a criminal."
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Fok / dpa