The entire Belgian Royal Family took part in the traditional ceremony to commemorate deceased members in what was the first public act in which King Albert and Princess Délphine appeared together.
The Church service took place in the Notre Dame Church in Laeken, the official residence of the Belgian Royals.
Besides King Albert and Princess Délphine, King Philippe, Queen Mathilde, Queen Paola, Princess Astrid, Prince Lorenz, Prince Laurent, Princess Claire, Mr James O’Hare (Princess Délphine’s husband) and Princess Léa were also present.
Prince Lorenz, Princess Astrid’s husband, must have felt the occasion heavier this year, since it was only a few weeks ago that he had to say goodbye to his own mother, Archduchess Margherita of Austria-Este.
But all the looks were on the former monarch and his daughter Princess Délphine, who were appearing in a public event together for the first time since Albert formally recognised her as his daughter, following a lengthy legal battle.
Délphine was born in 1968, to Sybille de Selys Longchamps who was, at the time, married to Jacques Boel who Delphine originally believed to be her father. She later said she was told that Albert was her natural father when she was a teenager. She began legal action to prove her parentage soon after Albert abdicated in 2013. In 2020, a DNA test confirmed Albert was Delphine’s father and he admitted paternity. Delphine and her two children, Josephine and Oscar, were given royal titles by a court later that year.
In July of 2021, Princess Délphine was invited to take part in the National Day celebrations, sitting in the Royal Box for the first time. But since the traditional commemoration Mass was heavily restricted and held in private last year due to ongoing health safety concerns, this event was the first time the public has seen father and daughter together for a public event.
Until now, only pictures have been released of King Albert and Princess Délphine, including one of their first official meeting after he recognised her as his daughter. Queen Paola was also present for that meeting.
The traditional church service is held every year around this time, and generally coincides with the opening to the public of the Royal Crypt, the Family’s resting place for members who pass away.
Most recently in 2014, Queen Fabiola was buried in the Royal Crypt, next to her husband, King Baudouin, who had passed away 21 years before his wife.
