A Belgian car salesman became a prince after Prince Laurent formally acknowledged Cl\u00e9ment Vandenkerckhove, 26, as his secret son.<\/p>\n
Vandenkerckhove was legally recognized by 63-year-old Laurent \u2014 the younger brother of King Philippe \u2014 as his son and heir at a quiet town hall ceremony about six months ago, with details only now emerging, The Telegraph reported Wednesday<\/a>.<\/p>\n The new prince now has equal inheritance rights to Laurent\u2019s private estate with his half-sister Princess Louise, 20, and half-brothers Prince Nicolas, 20, and Prince Aymeric, 19.<\/p>\n Belgium\u2019s Prince Laurent legally recognized former car salesman Cl\u00e9ment Vandenkerckhove, 26, as his secret son. Instagram \/ clement_vandenkerckhove<\/p>\n But despite Vandenkerckhove\u2019s new title, he won\u2019t receive a royal allowance, take on official duties or gain any rights to the Belgian throne.<\/p>\n Vandenkerckhove has not decided whether to take Laurent\u2019s Saxe-Coburg family name.<\/p>\n \u201cI might want to do that, but I am proud of the name Vandenkerckhove,\u201d he recently told Het Nieuwsblad<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I were to sacrifice that family name, it would be a betrayal of everything my mother has done for me.\u201d<\/p>\n