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#Post#: 11697--------------------------------------------------
Re: Family news and events
By: Cara Date: October 14, 2020, 1:52 pm
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the video is a good and balanced summary
alledgedly, paola conducted her own affairs. as a queen, she was
popular and she a fair job... as a princess she was --i was
told-- not the nicest person.
in a way it is her (Paola's) stubborn-ness and her demand to
albert that he acts as if delphine never existed that eventually
led to delphine being acknowledged. and that i find a good
thing. i am truly happy for her because what was done to her was
not right.
it takes a lot of courage and guts to stand up for yourself and
go against such power. she has the right to be acknowledged for
who she is with her lineage and so do her children.
i guess that not everybody will agree with this and that's fine!
btw, i do remember when that book came out... i guess i was
naive and lived in a somewhat sheltered world, but i thought it
was pure invention... and yet, it appears it was an open
secret... but these were the days (nearly) before the internet.
#Post#: 11698--------------------------------------------------
Re: Family news and events
By: Chandrasekhi Date: October 14, 2020, 3:59 pm
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In support of Chatterers' posts on HRH Princess Delphine:
- Paola and Albert were leading separate lives when the affair
between Sybille and Albert began.
- The affair continued for almost two decades. Delphine was
born during the "unofficial separation". Yes, both Paola and
Albert had affair/s during this period (Poor Phillipe, Astrid &
Laurent)
- Both Paola and Albert wanted a divorce (once Paola found out
about Delphine?). Baudouin would not consent, apparently
threatening Paola with the loss of income and kids and Albert
with reduced circumstances.
- According to a lovely poster on another site, and some
accounts, Albert was the father figure in Delphine's life:
Sybille and Jacques Boel divorced when Delphine was 10. Sybille
went on to remarry. The relationship between Sybille and Albert
ended shortly before / after her remarriage, presumably before.
- Delphine and Albert maintained a daughter-father
relationship. It seems that he was more of a father to her than
his kids with Paola. Baudoin was the father Phillipe didn't
really have, heaven knows what impact it had on Astrid. Well,
with Laurent it is plain to see.
- All was well until the biography on Paola was published.
Journalists ferreted out Delphine's identity. Albert distanced
himself from her. She felt rejected by her father and so began
the path that has led to the status quo.
- The "award" of the titles seem to be a s a result of a change
to a law in 2015. Since then, all of Albert's children and
grandchildren aare HRHs. The law does not differentiate between
legitimacy and illegitimacy. It is also really strange: Albert
had already abdicated (for at least 2 years??) before the change
but it affected his descendants, not just Phillipe's
- If Delphine's existence was an open secret for most of her
life, surely the impact of that change could only have meant the
she and her children would be entitled to the HRHs as well.
- Apparently, there has been a transfer of assets (over a
period of time) from Albert to Paola to decrease size of his
estate (is this possible ) to decrease the size of Delphine's
inheritance. .
- Delphine seems to have lost financially by pursing recognition
of Albert as her father. From what I gathered, a Belgian court
had ruled that she was entitled to receive an inheritance from
Boel as his official child. I am in the the dark regarding the
sequence, but she petitioned to be legally declared as not
Boel's child after a paternity test he was requested to take by
the court, revealed that he was not Delphine's father. The
court also ruled that Albert was required to take the same test.
He fought it until this year. (?)
No winners, just pain all around. Three individuals, each very
unhappy in their marriages, have wreaked havoc with the lives of
their children.
#Post#: 11699--------------------------------------------------
Re: Family news and events
By: ABS Date: October 14, 2020, 4:48 pm
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Thanks for the overview, Chandrasekhi.
It is one big mess. Yes, the offspring of such circumstances
suffer very much.
#Post#: 11702--------------------------------------------------
Re: Family news and events
By: Cara Date: October 16, 2020, 4:37 am
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Last thursday, Philippe met with Delphine. Well done Phil. This
will put an end to the saga and endless speculation on "will
they meet or not, have they met or not"...
The meeting lasted three hours.
Yesterday, they issued a release that stated that the meeting
was "warm" and that they "had the opportunity to get to know
each other during a long and rich exchange that allowed us to
talk about our respective lives and our common interests. This
relationship will now develop in a family setting"
HTML https://www.lesoir.be/331767/article/2020-10-15/le-roi-philippe-rencontre-la-princesse-delphine-pour-la-premiere-fois
[img]
HTML https://www.lesoir.be/sites/default/files/dpistyles_v2/ena_16_9_extra_big/2020/10/15/node_331767/27754550/public/2020/10/15/B9724941343Z.1_20201015160023_000+G5SGSMRKO.1-0.jpg?itok=gF2tGTAA1602780904[/img]
#Post#: 11703--------------------------------------------------
Re: Family news and events
By: ABS Date: October 16, 2020, 5:20 am
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That is great. Siblings who did not grow up together will never
be as close as to the ones you grew up with. BUT, you can have
great friendships, a special bond is already in place.
Unless there is a lot of resentment, depends on the people
involved.
#Post#: 11704--------------------------------------------------
Re: Family news and events
By: Cara Date: October 16, 2020, 5:21 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Chandra, thanks for your nice summary.
[quote author=Chandrasekhi link=topic=40.msg11698#msg11698
date=1602709167]
In support of Chatterers' posts on HRH Princess Delphine:
- Paola and Albert were leading separate lives when the affair
between Sybille and Albert began.
- The affair continued for almost two decades. Delphine was
born during the "unofficial separation". Yes, both Paola and
Albert had affair/s during this period (Poor Phillipe, Astrid &
Laurent)
[/quote]
Their relationship lasted 19 years! Delphine said that it was
her mother that refused that the king divorces out of fear of
the impact it could have on the monarchy and broke off the
relationship.
[quote author=Chandrasekhi link=topic=40.msg11698#msg11698
date=1602709167]
- According to a lovely poster on another site, and some
accounts, Albert was the father figure in Delphine's life:
Sybille and Jacques Boel divorced when Delphine was 10. Sybille
went on to remarry. The relationship between Sybille and Albert
ended shortly before / after her remarriage, presumably before.
- Delphine and Albert maintained a daughter-father
relationship. It seems that he was more of a father to her than
his kids with Paola. Baudoin was the father Phillipe didn't
really have, heaven knows what impact it had on Astrid. Well,
with Laurent it is plain to see.
[/quote]
Astrid seems to be doing well. Philippe too. Laurent was the
forgotten child, that nobody, not even Baudouin and Fabiola,
seemed to have cared for.
I wonder how Astrid feels about all of this. She has often been
credited for reconciling her parents. I wonder if she supported
her mother who accepted to give Albert another chance at the
condition that Delphine be denied and was a "thing" of the past.
[quote author=Chandrasekhi link=topic=40.msg11698#msg11698
date=1602709167]
- The "award" of the titles seem to be a s a result of a change
to a law in 2015. Since then, all of Albert's children and
grandchildren aare HRHs. The law does not differentiate between
legitimacy and illegitimacy. It is also really strange: Albert
had already abdicated (for at least 2 years??) before the change
but it affected his descendants, not just Phillipe's
[/quote]
The law dates back to 1991. This is the law that abolished the
salic law and gave women the same rights as men. At the time, it
was said that it was to push Laurent further down the line of
succession in case Philippe never married and had children of
his own. It also gave women the right to transfer their title to
their children.
[quote author=Chandrasekhi link=topic=40.msg11698#msg11698
date=1602709167]
- Apparently, there has been a transfer of assets (over a
period of time) from Albert to Paola to decrease size of his
estate (is this possible ) to decrease the size of Delphine's
inheritance. .
- Delphine seems to have lost financially by pursing recognition
of Albert as her father. From what I gathered, a Belgian court
had ruled that she was entitled to receive an inheritance from
Boel as his official child. I am in the the dark regarding the
sequence, but she petitioned to be legally declared as not
Boel's child after a paternity test he was requested to take by
the court, revealed that he was not Delphine's father. The
court also ruled that Albert was required to take the same test.
He fought it until this year. (?)
[/quote]
One thing that is noteworthy to say is that to be able to pursue
Albert, Delphine had to first legally ensure that Jacques Boel
was not her father. It is only after that, that she could start
the proceedings against Albert.
Albert only took the test when the court sentenced him to a
hefty fine for every day he would refuse to take the test.
Re. inheritance and the potential financial loss... that one is
difficult to track. There is at least one article that says that
Jacques Boel ensured early on (when Delphine was born or a
child) that she would not be a beneficiary of the family
fortune. Others say that it sort of coincided with her search
for legal recognition. Nobody knows for sure. Rich people can
easily hide their assets and usually have them in trusts of
foundations to avoid inheritance taxes.
#Post#: 11708--------------------------------------------------
Re: Family news and events
By: ABS Date: October 16, 2020, 11:04 am
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[quote author=Cara link=topic=40.msg11702#msg11702
date=1602841058]
Last thursday, Philippe met with Delphine. Well done Phil. This
will put an end to the saga and endless speculation on "will
they meet or not, have they met or not"...
The meeting lasted three hours.
Yesterday, they issued a release that stated that the meeting
was "warm" and that they "had the opportunity to get to know
each other during a long and rich exchange that allowed us to
talk about our respective lives and our common interests. This
relationship will now develop in a family setting"
HTML https://www.lesoir.be/331767/article/2020-10-15/le-roi-philippe-rencontre-la-princesse-delphine-pour-la-premiere-fois
[img]
HTML https://www.lesoir.be/sites/default/files/dpistyles_v2/ena_16_9_extra_big/2020/10/15/node_331767/27754550/public/2020/10/15/B9724941343Z.1_20201015160023_000+G5SGSMRKO.1-0.jpg?itok=gF2tGTAA1602780904[/img]
[/quote]
They lean a little away from each other - looks a bit awkward.
She really likes this outfit, she wore EXACTLY the same for the
Australia 60 minutes interview.
#Post#: 11709--------------------------------------------------
Re: Family news and events
By: Cara Date: October 16, 2020, 1:57 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
their heads lean towards each other though. lol.
i won't read anything into their body language, given that the
picture represents a split second.
no doubt that it was awkward for both of them. it may just be a
PR op and a way to make it all go away from the public eye. or a
genuine way to integrate delphine.
Edited to add: Albert issued a statement as well today, saying
that he and his wife are glad that Philippe and Delphine met.
#Post#: 11713--------------------------------------------------
Re: Family news and events
By: Chandrasekhi Date: October 17, 2020, 12:32 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I hope for their sakes, that the meeting is genuine and not an
exercise in PR and damage control. I am inclined to believe it
is genuine.
Cara, something did change in 2015 which enabled Delphine's
claim to the HRH address and Princess title. I will post an
independent link once I find it.
#Post#: 11714--------------------------------------------------
Re: Family news and events
By: Cara Date: October 17, 2020, 3:38 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Chandrasekhi link=topic=40.msg11713#msg11713
date=1602955973]
Cara, something did change in 2015 which enabled Delphine's
claim to the HRH address and Princess title. I will post an
independent link once I find it.
[/quote]
it's possible.
nevertheless 1991 was a huge turning point as women were now
eligible to inherit the throne and that's when astrid's children
were granted the title prince/ss of belgium + the title could be
transmitted by the female line.
in 2015, a law was passed to limit the number of prince/ss of
belgium from collateral branches, i.e. limiting the title to the
children and grandchildren of the king , and to the descendants
of the hereditary prince/ss. (that means that astrid's,
laurent's and delphine's grandchildren will not have that
title).
that said i am not a specialist of the belgian royal family, so
it could well be that another law exists though i do not see how
anything else could change. the big news really is that delphine
was nearly treated like a legitimate child (except for being in
line to the throne).
could well be that another law was passed
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