Shock as royal admits to fathering an illegitimate love child

Belgium’s former King Albert II has been forced to confirm he fathered an illegitimate love child, after an affair he had 51 years ago.

Delphine Boël made her paternity claim ten years ago, however Albert refused to take a DNA test and only did so after being ordered by a court last year to undergo the test or face a €5,000 (AUD$8171) a day fine.

Albert eventually conceded to the DNA test in May last year and today announced that he now "accepts Delphine Boël becomes his fourth child".

In a statement released by his lawyers, Albert said he: "learnt the results of the DNA test... [and] the scientific conclusions indicate that he is the biological father of Mrs Delphine Boël".

Delphine Boël's lawyer, Marc Uyttendaele, said "her life has been a long nightmare because of this quest for identity" in an interview with RTL television.

"She had a biological father who brutally rejected her when this paternity [case] publicly emerged".

King Albert II abdicated in 2013 due to ill health and handed over his title to his son, Philippe.

Delphine, who is an artist, first made her paternity claim in a 2005 interview but only launched legal proceedings in 2013, after Albert abdicated and lost his immunity.

Her mum, aristocrat Sybille de Selys Longchamps, had an affair with Prince Albert from 1966 to 1984, while he was married to his wife, Queen Paola of Belgium.

Now that Delphine has received confirmation that Albert is her father, she is officially entitled to a princess title and a chunk of the king’s estate when he dies.

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