Prince Laurent of Belgium's secret love child has spoken of his "relief" as he made his first public comments after being officially recognised.
Clément Vandenkerckhove, 26, who is a former car salesman, is Laurent's son from his relationship with Flemish model Wendy van Wanten before his marriage to Princess Claire in 2003.
He was officially recognised as a Prince by the Saxe-Coburg court earlier this year and took to Instagram over the weekend to share two new pictures of himself, as well as thoughts and reflections about his new royal status.
He said: "Getting used to the relief of no longer having to keep my origins a secret is still very much a work in progress.
© Instagram / @clement_vandenkerckhove"The many warm reactions and beautiful words of support from so many people who have followed my story have touched me more deeply than I could ever have imagined."
He added that it's still something he's getting used to now, writing: "To be honest, I’m still not quite sure how to take it all in, but the feeling that rises above everything else is gratitude — and that is something I really wanted to share with you. So, truly, thank you to everyone whose kindness and affection have helped me ❤️"
His mother Wendy proved her unwavering support for her son, commenting three heart emojis underneath his post.
Clément becomes Belgium's newest Prince
Clément was officially declared as Laurent's son and heir in a town hall ceremony six months ago, with details only being made public last week.
However, he will not receive a royal allowance and won't be part of the royal line of succession.
According to the Royal Decree of November 12, 2015, he was granted the title of Prince, which he can use if he wishes, as Princess Delphine, the daughter recognized by King Albert six years ago, has done.
© GettyHowever, he's not expected to change his name, telling Nieuwsblad: "I am proud of the Vandenkerckhove surname. To renounce that surname would be a betrayal of everything my mother has done for me."
Laurent is the younger brother of King Philippe of Belgium and the son of former King Albert
He also has three children with his wife Princess Claire: Princess Louise, Prince Aymeric, and Prince Nicolas.
How Clément found out his father was a royal
Last September, a documentary aired on Flemish TV channel VTM titled Clement, Son of… in which the new royal identified himself as the Prince's son. He recalled his mother telling him when he was 16: "Your daddy is a Prince."
Four years later, he made contact with him and the paternity was confirmed via a DNA test.
© GettyLaurent, 62, first acknowledged that Clément was his son after the documentary aired last year, and shortly afterwards they were pictured together for the first time.
The Belgian royal said in a statement at the time: "With this announcement, I acknowledge that I am the biological father of Clément Vandenkerckhove. We have spoken openly and honestly about this in recent years. This announcement is based on a sense of understanding and respect for those involved. It is the result of joint consultation.
"I kindly request that you receive this information with the discretion that the nature of this intimate matter requires. I will not make any further statements or provide any further explanation on this matter."
