Belgian royal delivers verdict on 'traumatised' Prince Harry


Princess Delphine of Belgium shared her thoughts on the Duke of Sussex's situation


Prince Harry smiling in suit© Getty
Melanie MacleodDeputy Beauty and Lifestyle Editor
July 18, 2025
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While the relationship between Prince Harry and the British royal family remains strained, the Duke of Sussex is widely supported by other royal families across Europe.

This week saw Princess Delphine of Belgium express her understanding of Prince Harry's situation, speaking openly about the Montecito-based royal's difficult predicament.

Chatting on the Reigning Men podcast, the Princess said she sympathises with Harry, sharing: "I do follow a little bit of Harry because Lady Diana was just part of my life when I was in England… Then she had these children and everything, and then this death was just horrible… I feel very sorry for Harry because I think that was traumatic for him."

On how Princess Diana's death is still impacting the prince now, Princess Delphine added: "I think Harry suffered so much, and I think he was traumatised and it's coming out now."

© Getty
Princess Delphine of Belgium shared her support for Prince Harry

She continued that Prince Harry's ongoing battle for security is likely influenced by the treatment of his mother, the Belgian royal added: "This thing about security. I think it's to do with what happened to his mother.

"I understand the guy. He's just traumatised. And I understand, so he's doing these things, and everybody's bullying him, but not thinking about his trauma. And I just find it terrible because he's just been kind of left."

© Getty
Princess Delphine of Belgium sympathised with her fellow royal

Princess Delphine's drama

At 57, Princess Delphine has been embroiled in a fair amount of royal drama herself, hence her empathy for the Duke of Sussex.

The royal is the half-sister of King Philippe of Belgium, and the illegitimate daughter of the former monarch, King Albert II, who had an 18-year affair with Delphine’s mother,  Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps.

© Thierry Monasse
Delphine wasn't discovered to be Albert's daughter until 2020

King Albert fought the paternity claim by Delphine for more than a decade before admitting his paternity in 2020, after Princess Delphine won a court case for a DNA test which proved the former monarch was her father.

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

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The lawyers added that the royal had decided to halt the legal battle, which had dragged on since 2013, and he now "accepts Delphine Boël becomes his fourth child".

Following this triumph, Delphine later won a separate landmark ruling allowing her to be titled a Princess and styled as 'Her Royal Highness.'

Despite this, she is not in line for the throne, which she claims is "not right".

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