Belgium's former King Albert II admits artist Delphine Boel to be his biological daughter; DNA Tests confirm rumours
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The monarch was informed by authorities that he must comply with the DNA ruling and would face a fine of €5,000 for each day he didn't provide a sample.
Decades-old Royal paternity scandal witnessed a breakthrough when the legal team of Belgium's former King Albert II issued a statement saying, 'Scientific conclusions indicate that he is the biological father of Mrs Delphine Boel.' This revelation came soon after Albert II finally agreed to a DNA test in 2019.
For years, Albert had neither denied nor opted for a DNA test to confirm any relation to the artist and sculptor Ms Delphine Boel despite the latter's attempts to establish a paternal relationship with the former for years. The monarch was informed by authorities that he must comply with the DNA ruling and would face a fine of €5,000 for each day he didn't provide a sample.
Rebuttal from Albert II who abdicated in 2013 due to health reasons came in the form of the statement saying that legal paternity is not necessarily equal to biological fatherhood.
[ Former Belgian Monarch King Albert II with Queen Paola (Courtesy: Reuters) ]
He added that he intended to end this painful ordeal with dignity, even if the case could be continued on procedural grounds. Marc Uyttendaele, attorney for Ms Boel stated that 'her reaction was one of relief, emotion but also shows a wound that will not heal'.
Rumours circulating Albert and Ms Boel's mother had been around for years, but news that the King may have had a child with an aristocratic wife of a well-heeled industrialist broke into mainstream media when a biography of Albert's wife, Queen Paola was published in 1999.
Albert alluded in his Christmas message to the nation in 2019 to an old incident, adding that he and the Queen had lived through a 'crisis' in the late 60's, one their marriage narrowly survived. He reassured the people that they had overcome their marital problems 'a long while ago'.
Six years ago, court proceedings were initiated by Ms Boel who bears a striking resemblance to quite a few members of the Royal Family, to prove that Albert was her biological father.