According to an announcement made by the Royal Palace, King Philippe and his half-sister Princess Delphine got together for the first time. Last week, King Philippe invited his “new” sister Delphine to the Royal Palace of Laeken.
The official announcement was as the following: "A joint message from His Majesty the King and Her Royal Highness Princess Delphine: On Friday the 9th of October, we met for the first time in the Palace of Laeken. It was a warm meeting. This extensive and special meeting gave us the opportunity to get to know each other. We discussed our own lives and our shared interest. This bond will develop into a familial bond in due time. Philippe and Delphine"
Princess Delphine is the daughter of King Albert II of Belgium, who abdicated in his son’s favour in 2013, and Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps. She was recognised as King Albert’s daughter after a long legal battle. Delphine received the title of Princess of Belgium and the style of Her Royal Highness. Her new official name will be Delphine of Saxe-Coburg (van Saksen-Coburg).
ReplyDeleteOh what a joy to see Delphine and her brother together!!
I am aware this is not the easiest meeting one can have in his/ her life.
It touches me deeply.
Best wishes.
Same Eyes! Same posture! this was Not a Secret, their father should have come clean years ago.
ReplyDeleteAgree
DeleteWell done Philippe, very kind and civilised attitude. Of course it will take time to form a real bond but this is the first step in the right direction. Best wishes to them both and their respective families. You can immediately see they are family, not only the facial features and expressions but also the body language, posture, mirroring each-other without even realising it.... Genetics is a fascinating wonder! -E.B.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with every word you said!
DeleteFashion wise: They are both a mess, his jacket/shirt, ugg. Her shirt ugggg... The emotional meeting priceless.
ReplyDeleteYou see, it just goes to show that they are indeed the same blood.... same taste in clothing too - the ultimate proof! Haha, kidding ;-) We have seen her in much better and elegant clothes, and she has the body of a 20+yrs old, so anything will look good on her. This was clearly a low-key, a tête à tête between brother and sister, no need for formal attire. Come to think of it, even the dress code makes the whole meeting warmer, more friendly, removes distances, I would like to see it as another "welcome home sis" sign. There will be other occasions for fashion and glamour, today is about heart before matter.... - E.B.
Delete"All's well that ends well" ........ said Shakespeare.
ReplyDeleteYes, sometimes it needs a few years, ha ha! This is a´n important "verdict" by the law. It could help others too. I am most glad for this beautiful lady! Even Louis XIV recognized is many illegitimate children and gave them their titles...
DeleteShe looks good, but the king should have worn something better fitting. :(
Family reunifications are often opportunities for joy and happiness, though some kinds such as this one, can be awkward and painful through no fault of the members being reunited. Therefore I'm very happy that to all appearances, Philippe and Delphine are starting this relationship on a good, positive note. I wish them nothing but hope and success that the pain of the past can be equalled by new familial experiences that neither had before. Blessings to both of them and their families.
ReplyDelete- Anon 9:13
Delphine is a beautiful and accomplished woman, and this is a fascinating story. But I have mixed feelings about assigning to her the title Princess of Belgium, and equal status with Philippe and his siblings. This is no reflection on individuals personally, but rather an inquiry as to whether legal marriage means anything. Obviously many royal personages throughout history have been unfaithful to their spouses, and no one believes that children conceived outside of marriage are responsible for the actions of their parents. Neither, however, are the people of Belgium responsible for the marital infidelity of its former king. It seems to me that this case brings into question a great deal more than the understandably hurt feelings of a daughter; it goes to the legitimacy not of persons, but of the concept of marriage -- something we traditionally have looked to royal families to uphold and exemplify, and which, traditionally, they _have_ exemplified.
ReplyDeleteWhile the outcome of Delphine's case is a good thing for her emotionally -- she feels validated, if not loved -- I do not think it is necessarily a good thing for Belgium. Regardless, it is a sign of the times and perhaps a warning to royal families elsewhere in Europe that cracks in the foundations upon which they have rested for centuries are -- little by little -- growing wider.
Thank you Jane Chantal for the elaborate analysis, you make some very valid observations. Without wanting to rain on the parade, and while wishing them and their families a happy future together, I actually have mixed feelings as well, for the same reasons you so eloquently described.... Time will tell, i guess...
DeleteA place in the succession order is limited only for children born in marriage.
DeleteThis means that the Belgian succession order does not change. I have tried to read a Belgian site explaining this in detail, but my French is too limited to be able to translate it and explain in English (as English is not my native language). As far as I have understood all children are equal when inheriting "ordinary property". That law has been applied even before this case.
Margot
I completely disagree with your assessment, I don’t see any possible explanation as of why she would be denied the same rights than the children born within the marriage. You question if marriage has any value, obviously not to the King it doesn’t. I can’t see why this would be bad for Belgium, much to the contrary, in my opinion the country is executing what is morally right, and possibly legal as well. To deny this woman her heritage is morally wrong.
ReplyDeleteI fully agree, Sandra. We know children have been fathered illegitimately by kings for centuries. The children are always the ones punished for the behavior of the parents. I can't see anything wrong with these children being acknowledged. Delphine and her children are not in line to the throne. It seems line a perfectly reasonable outcome and should have happened sooner.
DeleteI fully understand the feelings of Jane Chantal and can share her aspirations for respecting traditional concepts about the legal marriage. But it is indeed a sign of times, and demand for equal treatment. The merit of King Philippe is precisely to show his interest for exemplification, which has often missed in the past also among royals.
ReplyDeleteVielleicht hätte Delphine eleganter auftreten sollen , nicht mit einer Jean für ein erstes Foto im Palast !!
ReplyDelete@Hannelore
Delete* ein Treffen
She was dressing to meet her brother, not the king. She looks very casual-chic, he looks casual. It is obvious that this was an informal meeting between the two. It is difficult to get to the heart of the matter, which was meeting a new adult sibling, while there is an air of formality. Just because he is the king does not mean he is not a man that is not capable of accepting anything but more formal dress. His own children very casually, fortunately.
DeleteOh well - we cannot even really know if this is a a family actor an arranged act of diplomacy. So I am going to stick with fashion: Nice top, but not with these jeans. And hands not in the pockets but this again has nothing to do with fashion :-)
ReplyDelete(-Ann.)
Why must you always be so incredibly negative?
DeleteSF
Ich denke , dass Delphine wollte den Eindruck nicht erwecken ,zu viel zu erwarten.
ReplyDeleteSie hat das absichtlich gemacht, um eine " low profile" Treffung zu haben.
My comment is for
Delete@ Hannelore
Difficult situation for all concerned. Let's hope it goes well. Fashionally speaking, they both look a tad sloppy. All the best to this family. ~Laurel~
ReplyDeleteThe Princess Delphine of Belgium is a talented artist, an artistic person.
ReplyDeleteHence, I think her dress code for the meeting with her half-brother.
I like her work as an artist a lot.
Of what we have seen of her to date via the media, she seems to be a bit “off-beat” with her fashion taste.
If you surf around on the internet there are photos available of her.
Maybe we’ll now see more of her fashion taste as she gets more and more active in the public arena.
Her mother, La baronne Sybille Michèle Émilie Marie Ghislaine de Selys Longchamps (ex Madame Sybille Boël) states her occupation as being that of an aristocrat.
From what photos I’ve seen on the internet, she seen to have a fairly conservation approach to fashion. Perhaps a conservative, aristocratic look.
For me, this family saga has a bitter/sweet ending.
It’s certainly not a win/win situation.
I have mixed feelings. Pain and happiness.
King Philippe is to be commended for publicly recognizing his sister as his sister and Princess in her own right. Not secretly meeting behind closed doors and keeping it private. And they certainly do look like brother and sister! You could walk into a crowded room and be asked to identify a brother and sister and you would easily match these two. Two peas in a pod.
ReplyDeleteYes, you put down in words what I feel exactly.
DeleteHe is to be commended for publicly recognizing his sister.
This has nothing to do with the succession line.
Delphine will not change the 'status quo'.
Of course, I am always aware it is not the easiest experience one may happen to have in his life.
Anyway, here I can see a brother and a sister reunited at last and this matters so much more than the clothes they are wearing( IMO).
I think her outfit is perfect for a visit with her brother, and it shows some of her creative, artistic side too - the blouse with its interesting print, and her choice of necklace which coordinates beautifully. (V.M.)
ReplyDeleteI think Delphine is nicely dressed for a heart to heart with her brother. Kudos to King Philippe for reaching out to her and congrats to her for winning her battle.
ReplyDeleteIt’s fascinating to me to see how difference royal families handle infidelity. Prince Albert of Monaco has 2 children born out of wedlock (a French boy and an American daughter names Jazmin Grace Grimaldi. I believe when Albert dies they will inherit some of his wealth but because they were born out of wed-lock (I hate that phrase), they are not in the line of succession and do not get titles. Financially he is taking care of them- their education is paid for and they get a stipend. His twins are in the line of succession and have titles because he’s married to their mother, Princess Charlene.
Delphines brother seems to try to heal the things, that his father made false.
ReplyDeleteHappy to see them together!
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