Love child of former Belgian King Albert II seeks equal birth rights as her siblings

Delphine Boël, the love child of Former Belgian King Albert II, took to court on Thursday with a plea to be granted the same rights and titles as her father's legitimate children. This comes after a decade-long paternity claim fought by the woman to gain recognition from the monarch. In January, DNA test results were released and King Albert announced his acceptance that the 52-year-old woman is indeed his fourth child. She was born from the King's 18-year affair with Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps when he was still head of the monarchy.

Rumours of a royal love child started circulating in 1999 when an unauthorised biography of King Albert's wife, Queen Paola, was published. A royal scandal ensued after Boël allegedly went on record during an interview in 2005 claiming that King Albert is her biological father.

Due to his immunity to prosecution at the time, the 86-year-old monarch had strongly resisted court orders to submit himself for DNA testing. It was only until he abdicated in 2013 that Boël took her case to court. By then, King Albert was forced to agree to the DNA test or be made to pay fines amounting up to £6,000 for refusing to do so.

The King's admission was a relief for Boël whose life had been embattled with her quest for identity. However, her fight has yet to see her enjoying the same rights and privileges given to her 3 other siblings, Philippe - the new King of Belgium, Prince Laurent and Princess Astrid.

Marc Uyttendaele, Boël's lawyer says, "Delphine's position isn't that she wants or doesn't want to be a princess. She doesn't want to be a cut-price child, she wants to have exactly the same privileges, titles and capacities as her brothers and her sister."

Should the court rule in Boël's favour, her own children will also be eligible for a royal title along with the privileges attached to it . However, the royal family lawyer disputes this, saying that the title of "princess" can only be given to her by royal decree and not through the courts.

In a story on BBC, Baroness Longchamps said her affair with then Prince Albert of Liège carried on from 1966 to 1984. She also said he made efforts to be of a significant presence during Boël's childhood.

Prince Albert came to the throne after his older brother's death in 1993. He was King until July 2013, when he announced abdication due to poor health. He has now been replaced by his son Philippe.