Belgium welcomed a new king on August 9, 1993, the sixth in a long line of monarchs. Albert, the younger brother of King Baudouin I, stepped onto the throne without leaving direct descendants. He led the country for two decades before stepping down on July 21, 2013, passing the crown to his son Philip. “After twenty years in power, it feels right to hand the baton to the next generation. Prince Philip is well prepared”, Albert II remarked at abdication.
According to official statements, the resignation stemmed from age and health concerns. Yet many observers suspected a different motive, tied to a recent scandal. The affair centered on Delphine Boël, who sought a DNA test to prove she was the rightful daughter of the monarch, leading to a public confrontation about lineage and legitimacy.
Who first learned the truth
Delphine Boël discovered her true paternity at seventeen. Her mother, Baroness Sibylle de Sély-Longchamps, later confessed that Delphine’s biological father was a close family friend known to the monarch as Papillon, and that her mother had fathered Delphine with her then-husband, Jacques Boël, an industrial entrepreneur. By the time of the confession, the baroness had already separated from him for a year.
Initially, this information did not disrupt Boël. The shift came years later when the details became public knowledge.
In 1999, journalist Mario Dannils published a biography of Queen Paola, wife of Albert II, in which he hinted at the existence of an illegitimate daughter. He later retracted that claim. In his following Christmas address, he reflected humbly on the couple’s marriage, noting distant trouble during the 1960s and a nearly broken relationship that was resolved long ago.
As the book circulated, Albert II cut all ties with the Baroness de Sély-Longchamps and Delphine Boël. In an interview with Tatler, Boël described her father’s reaction as harsh, saying it felt as though she were being cast aside. She recalled feeling the sting of public scrutiny and personal disappointment as the royal family faced this revelation.
In 2013, Delphine’s mother described a private phone call with Albert II. She recounted that Delphine had identified him as her father, a moment that sent shock through the family. The public record later captured the sentiment that this revelation struck a deep emotional chord for all involved.
paternity through court
In June 2013, Delphine Boël, then forty-five, sought recognition of paternity in Brussels court. Her aim was to prompt genetic testing for Albert II and his three children, Prince Philippe, Princess Astrid, and Prince Laurent, to determine a biological link. The palace acknowledged subpoenas for the king and his offspring but offered no further commentary. The king had certain legal protections that affected the proceedings.
Not long after Boël’s court motion, Albert II abdicated in favor of his eldest son. In a televised interview, Sybille de Sély-Longchamps spoke about her long relationship with the monarch, describing the period as transformative and enduring, and sharing her thoughts on Delphine’s place in the story. She remembered a time of love and the complexity of a modern royal life.
Boël continued to seek formal recognition of paternity. In 2014, a DNA test was performed with Jacques Boël, the man Boël had believed was her father for many years. The test indicated no biological connection between Delphine and Albert II.
In 2017, a Brussels court ruled that Jacques Boël could be recognized as Delphine Boël’s father for the purpose of upbringing and parental recognition, which shifted the legal focus away from Albert II regarding paternity. The decision was appealed, and in late 2018 the court reversed the earlier ruling, stating that Jacques Boël could not be considered Delphine’s father. The court gave Albert II three months to undergo DNA testing.
Albert II faced pressure to comply with the court order, including a potential daily fine. His attorney explained that the king underwent the testing out of respect for legal institutions, and he maintained that he bore no guilt in the matter.
The results of the DNA analysis remained sealed for the duration of the case. In January 2020, Albert II publicly acknowledged Delphine Boël as his biological daughter based on the test results. Retired counsel for the king later stated that the admission was an effort to resolve a long and delicate matter with dignity and honor for all involved.
Hugs and recognition
By early October 2020, Delphine Boël was officially recognized as a member of the Belgian royal family. She adopted the surname Saxe-Coburg and the title of princess, a designation historically linked to the nation’s monarchs. From that point, she began to fulfill royal duties as part of the extended royal family.
In February 2023, public footage captured the former king embracing his youngest daughter at a royal memorial service. The moment, shared widely online, drew smiles from viewers who appreciated the visible warmth within the royal circle.