Prince Laurent of Belgium

Prince Laurent
Prince Laurent in 2007
Born	(1963-10-19) 19 October 1963 Belvédère Castle, Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
Spouse	Claire Coombs ​ (m. 2003)​
Issue	Princess Louise Prince Nicolas Prince Aymeric
Names French: Laurent Benoît Baudouin Marie Dutch: Laurens Benedikt Boudewijn Maria
House	Belgium
Father	Albert II of Belgium
Mother	Paola Ruffo di Calabria

Styles of Prince Laurent of Belgium
Reference style	His Royal Highness

Prince Laurent of Belgium (French: Laurent Benoît Baudouin Marie, Dutch: Laurens Benedikt Boudewijn Maria; born 19 October 1963) is the second son and youngest child of King Albert II and Queen Paola, and younger brother of King Philippe.

Laurent's involvement with animal welfare and the environment, together with a relative lack of interest in protocol, has caused him to be dubbed by elements of the popular Belgian press as écolo-gaffeur (the eco-blunderer). Currently, he is 13th in the Belgian line of succession. He had been as high as third in line, but the constitution was amended in 1991 to extend an equal right of succession to women, putting him behind his sister, Princess Astrid, and her descendants.

Early life and education

Born in the Château de Belvédère near Laeken, Belgium, he was educated at the Royal Cadet High School and at the Royal Military Academy.

Marriage and children

Prince Laurent and Claire Louise Coombs were married in Brussels on 12 April 2003. Coombs was also given the title of Princess of Belgium upon her marriage. The couple have three children: Princess Louise (born 6 February 2004), Prince Nicolas and Prince Aymeric (born 13 December 2005). The family live in Villa Clementine, in Tervuren.

Prince Laurent is also a godfather to Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, the daughter of Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, a current pretender to the former throne of Two Sicilies and his wife, Princess Camilla, Duchess of Castro.

Alleged corruption scandal

In December 2006, Prince Laurent's name surfaced in a corruption scandal in which funds of the Belgian Navy were spent on his residence (Villa Clémentine) in Tervuren. Although the investigating magistrates denied that Laurent was personally implicated, some of the accused have implicated the prince in the press.

On 5 January 2007, it became known that King Albert II had signed a royal decree, making it possible for Laurent to be called up as a witness in the corruption trial which was to start 8 January. One of the defendants immediately used this to subpoena the prince. During the evening of 8 January, Prince Laurent was interrogated by federal police, appearing in court the following day where he testified at the trial that he had no reason to believe the funding of his renovations could be illegal.

Media reports in March 2007 suggested that Laurent was no longer welcome at the Royal Palace, possibly due to his role in the corruption scandal.

Against this, defenders claim that there is some tradition in the Belgian press and among politicians to focus on shortcomings among members of the Belgian Royal Family. For example, King Philippe has been pursued for what may be no more than lack of dexterity among some of his advisers; and Lilian, Princess of Réthy (1916–2002) had in her younger days been pursued by some deputies who turned parliamentary sessions into debates about her necklines.

In March 2011, the prince visited the former Belgian colony of the Congo without receiving the required permission; the reported purpose of the visit was to promote awareness of deforestation. As a result, on 9 April he accepted conditions laid down by Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme regarding his future activities; had he not done so, the matter of his annual appanage would have been in question.

Health

In March 2014, Prince Laurent was hospitalised with pneumonia and depression. He was voluntarily placed in a medically-induced coma on March 25, and was awakened on 27 March. On 4 April, Queen Paola stated in a letter that Laurent's condition was improving, and that she felt he was 'the most vulnerable' of her three children.

Titles, styles and honours

• His Royal Highness Prince Laurent of Belgium (1963–present)

Prince Laurent does not hold a personal title as younger princes were previously accustomed to receive in the past (such as Count of Flanders or Prince of Liège).

Honours

See also: List of honours of the Belgian Royal Family by country

National

• Belgium: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold I

Foreign

• Germany: Grand Cross 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
• Hungary: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary
• Two Sicilian Royal Family: Knight Grand Cross of Justice of the Two Sicilian Royal Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George
• Sovereign Military Order of Malta: Knight Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
• Luxembourg: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau
• Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown
• Norway: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit
• Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of Infante Henry
• Spain: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit
• Sweden: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Polar Star

Military ranks

1983–1986 : Royal Military Academy, 123rd promotion TAW ("All Weapons" Faculty) September 1985  – September 1989 : Belgian Navy, ensign 2nd class (Enseigne de vaisseau de 2ème classe/ Vaandrig-ter-zee 2de klasse) Officer oath on 30 October 1985 Specialization: combat diver and helicopter pilot Combat diver badge: 20 July 1989 in Brugge handed by his father, divisional admiral September 1989  – 15 November 1994  : Belgian Navy, ship-of-the-line lieutenant (Lieutenant de vaisseau) helicopter pilot badge handed in 1990 by his uncle King Baudouin 15 November 1994 – 26 June 2004 : Belgian Navy, frigate captain (Capitaine de frégate) 26 June 2004 –  : Belgian Navy, ship-of-the-line captain (Capitaine de vaisseau)

1985 1989 1994 2004

Source : www.monarchie.be, Prince Laurent

Arms

Coat of arms of Prince Laurent of Belgium

Notes As a Prince of Belgium and a descendant of King Leopold I, the Prince is entitled to use a coat of arms which was stipulated in the Royal Decree of King Philippe in 2019. Adopted 12 July 2019 Coronet Princely crown of Belgium Escutcheon Sable, a lion rampant or, armed and langued gules (Belgium), on the shoulder an escutcheon barry of ten sable and or, a crancelin vert (Wettin), overall a bordure or. Supporters Two lions guardant proper Motto French: L'union fait la force Dutch: Eendracht maakt macht German: Einigkeit macht stark Other elements The whole is placed on a mantle purpure with ermine lining, fringes and tassels or and ensigned with the Royal crown of Belgium.

External links

• Official biography from the Belgian Royal Family website