Princess Delphine had a royal first at her niece’s wedding on 10 September.
The royal wedding of Princess Maria Laura to William Isvy was the first royal wedding that Princess Delphine – a half-sister to Maria Laura’s mother, Princess Astrid – was invited to and attended.
Delphine only gained her royal title a few years ago when her father, King Albert II, admitted that she was his daughter through an extramarital affair, and this was the first opportunity for the newest Belgian royal to attend a royal wedding.
Delphine attended alongside her partner, Jim O’Hare, and their two children, Princess Joséphine (18) and Prince Oscar (14). It was also a royal first for Joséphine and Oscar, as it was their first public royal event.
The family watched Princess Maria Laura tie the knot at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula; 500 guests were in attendance alongside King Albert, Queen Paola, King Philippe and his family, Prince Laurent and his family and the family of Princess Astrid.
Since Delphine was recognised as Albert’s daughter and granted royal titles, the Belgian Royal Family has welcomed her into their ranks. She attends some royal events alongside her siblings – including her brother, King Philippe. She attended her first Belgian National Day celebrations as a Princess of Belgium in July 2021. Before that, she joined her family for her first-ever royal event in February 2021 at the traditional ceremony for deceased members of the Belgian Royal Family.
A paternity test proved King Albert was the father of Delphine in January 2020. The Court of Appeals ruled that she has the same legal rights as his other three children (King Philippe, Princess Astrid and Prince Laurent) and granted her and her children the styles of Royal Highness and titles of Prince/Princess of Belgium. They are not in the line of succession to the Belgian throne.
Delphine met her half-brother King Philippe for the first time in October 2020. The Belgian Royal Palace released a photo of the meeting with a statement from the pair, saying: “This long and rich discussion gave us the opportunity to learn to know each other. We talked about our respective lives and areas of shared interest. This bond will further develop within the family setting.”
Later that same month, she met her father and stepmother, Queen Paola. A photo and statement were released after the meeting, saying, in part, “After the tumults, the wounds and the suffering, comes the time of forgiveness, healing and reconciliation. This is the path, patient and sometimes difficult that we have decided to take resolutely together.”
