The illegitimate daughter of King Albert II had to fight for decades to have her royal title recognised

From titles and charity galas to taxpayer-funded security and tabloid court cases, the recent trials and tribulations of Prince Harry are somewhat unique to the life of a royal. Perhaps that is why Princess Delphine of Belgium has stepped up to support the Duke of Sussex, criticising the public for ‘bullying’ Prince Harry and failing to acknowledge the impact of his trauma.

‘I think Harry suffered so much, and I think he was traumatised, and it’s coming out now,’ she told the It’s Reigning Men podcast, adding that she has followed the Duke’s life since his mother, Princess Diana, died in 1997 when he was aged just 12.

‘I think there is this thing with security. I think it’s to do with what happened to his mother,’ Princess Delphine continued, referring to Prince Harry’s recently lost court case in which he tried to reinstate his downgraded security while he and his family visit Britain. The Duke has said before that he ‘does not feel safe’ bringing his wife, Meghan Markle, and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to his home country.

‘I understand the guy,’ she explained. ‘He’s just traumatised. He’s doing these things, and everybody’s bullying him, but not thinking about his trauma, and I just find it terrible because I feel like he’s just been kind of left.’

Indeed, Princess Delphine understands better than most what it feels like to be estranged from a royal family. Aged 17, she learned that she was the illegitimate daughter of King Albert II of Belgium, who had conducted an 18-year affair with her mother while he was married to Queen Paola. After ‘nasty’ court cases, one of the most dramatic paternity tests of the century, and the King’s abdication, Delphine, 56, was finally granted the right to call herself a princess in 2020. And yet, she says, social inequality means that she is still ‘not welcome’ in the royal fold.

Last year, the Belgian royal family gathered for King’s Day celebrations – with former King Albert II and his children, Prince Laurent and Princess Astrid, all taking part in the national holiday. Princess Delphine, however, did not make the invite list alongside her father and half-siblings.

The Princess, who is not a working royal and therefore does not receive ‘dotation’ (government money), took to social media with a damning statement, condemning what she perceived to be institutional injustice.

‘I was reminded again yesterday by the press why I was not invited to celebrate King’s Day. The reason is that I do not take a dotation like my brothers and sister. So the fact is that I am not welcome because, in essence, at the time I was born my parents were not married to each other.’

Princess Delphine went on to call for social, legal, and religious reform, arguing that she should be equally entitled to attend working royal events: ‘I write this again and I continue to speak up because children do not choose the circumstances into which they are born. Our society and laws should reflect values that welcome children equally whether they are born in marriage, third marriage, fourth marriage, outside marriage or adopted or whatever.’

The Princess concluded: ‘I remain hopeful that one day our leaders in government, society, and church take these truths to heart.’

The statement ended with a string of telling hashtags: #EveryChildMatters, #EqualityForChildren, #NoChildLeftBehind and #SiblingRights.

Meanwhile, recent developments back in Britain have left many royal watchers wondering whether Prince Harry might soon be welcomed back into the Windsor fold. The King’s communications secretary, Tobyn Andreae, was spotted with Meredith Maines, the Duke of Sussex’s new chief communications officer, and Harry and Meghan’s British PR lead, Liam Magurie, outside the Royal Over-Seas League. The club boasts a commitment to ‘fostering international friendship and understanding’, so it was an apt location for a parley between the Montecito-based Prince and the King of Great Britain.

‘There’s a long road ahead, but a channel of communication is now open for the first time in years,’ a source told The Mail on Sunday. ‘There was no formal agenda, just casual drinks. There were things both sides wanted to talk about.’

While his relationship with his father might be salvageable, it is widely believed that the Duke of Sussex is no longer on speaking terms with his brother, Prince William. The fraternal bond truly began to sour following the publication of Harry’s memoir, Spare, in which he accused the Prince of Wales of physical violence.

Harry has said, however, that he had ‘forgiven’ the royal family and that he would ‘love’ to reconcile with his relatives, telling the BBC that ‘there’s no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious.’ No doubt, Princess Delphine would agree.