Love child of former King Albert of Belgium Princess Delphine unveils bizarre, underwear-free self-portrait sculpture that represents her 'existence being used politically by anti-royalists'

The love child of King Albert II of Belgium unveiled a quirky, underwear-free self-portrait sculpture on Instagram, as she slammed critics who claimed her “art is simply decorative.”

In her post this week, artist Princess Delphine, formerly known as Delphine Boël, also opened up about feeling 'vulnerable' in the spotlight and claimed she has been 'used to stir up Belgian political problems'.

Delphine, 55, is believed to be the result of an 18-year affair between the former monarch, 89, who abdicated in 2013 in favor of his son King Philippe, 63, and Belgian aristocrat Sybille de Selys Longchamps, 82, who began in the sixties.

Three years ago, she was officially named the daughter of King Albert II of Belgium, after first claiming she was his child in 1999.

On Instagram, the princess shared her “life-size self-portrait sculpture,” which was handcuffed to two regional flags and instead featured a pink body, no underwear and just a colorful striped T-shirt.

She explained that the artwork, titled Taboo in Chains, was “inspired by my life-changing experience in 1999,” when she “quickly realized that the knowledge of my existence was being used politically, especially by anti-royalists and for internal political battle in Belgium. .'

Delphine wrote in her post: 'Recently I enjoyed reading art critics who claimed that my art is merely decorative, without depth, without story and without meaning. I do not agree with it.

'My art is filled with statements, emotions and about humanity. Amazing how some art critics get paid knowing nothing about the artist. They're just political idiots.

'For example, one of my works of art from 2006 is called 'Taboo in Chains'. It is inspired by my life-changing experience in 1999. From one day to the next I was in the press.

'I soon realized that the knowledge of my existence was being used politically, especially by anti-royalists and for internal political struggles in Belgium.

'I noticed that because the two sides of the press in the country wrote different things about me and my situation. And it still happens.

“So I made this life-size self-portrait sculpture,” she explained. 'I kneel on a target painted in the colors of the Belgian flag. I have no underwear, which shows how vulnerable I felt and have felt all these years.

'I am fascinated by the flags of Wallonia and Flanders, because I felt and still feel used to stirring up Belgian political problems. However, I am wearing a very colorful sweater, which represents my art that keeps me strong.

'Fast forward to today, I now create artwork with the theme of 'Love' as a way to express my gratitude for the positive evolution in my life and to share a message through my art for others to keep hope and never give up.

Delphine also posted a photo this week of herself holding up her £495 graffiti-style 'Never Give Up' scarf with the phrases 'when the system is corrupt', 'when the future is f**** *looks like' and 'when it gets hard'.

Last year, she reportedly wrote a legal letter to the government asking to be invited to official events like her half-siblings Princess Astrid, 61, and Prince Laurent, 60.

After a court officially recognized her as the love child of Belgium's former king in October 2020, Delphine said her fight to be recognized as a royal was not about money or status.

Her lawyer, Marc Uyttendaele, has since written a letter to Alexander De Croo, the Prime Minister of Belgium, insisting that she be invited to official functions and treated with the same respect as Astrid and Laurent. The times.

“My client has been concerned for months about her role at official events,” the lawyer writes, explaining that the princess is only invited a few times.

He added: “But even there she is treated differently from her brother and sister. It's just a matter of respect.'

The lawyer further stated that she has no interest in a financial donation, in reference to her siblings' annual allowances of more than €260,000.

However, the Prime Minister argued that Delphine is a private citizen and that the Royal Family has official duties in these functions.

He said: 'The people who are invited to these events are people who have official functions in our country, some of the royal family have official functions. Princess Delphine doesn't have one.'

For decades, the former king distanced himself from Princess Delphine and her mother to maintain his marriage.

After the birth of Princess Delphine in 1968, the king initially remained in frequent contact with his child and her mother. But when Delphine reached her 16th birthday, the king began to distance himself.

In 2013, the same year that King Albert abdicated for health reasons and was succeeded by his son King Philip, Princess Delphine launched a legal bid to be officially recognized as Albert's daughter – which she won in October 2020.

Now Delphine has the right to bear the royal name de Saxe-Cobourg and is formally recognized as a member of the Belgian royal family, as are her two children, Princess Joséphine of Belgium, 19, and Prince Oscar of Belgium, 14, with whom she shares with partner James O'Hare.

Speaking to Tatler last year, the princess, an artist, revealed that her father's rejection when she was young still hurts, but added that she does not blame him or harbor any ill intentions towards him.

She argued that royal life is “isolating” and she believed her father was ill-advised at the time. However, she said, “You don't just have a kid and kick it.”

Reflecting on her seven-year legal battle, Delphine said the case she brought was not about money or status, but about “principles.”

Now Delphine has attended royal engagements and says her relationship with her father has healed after years of bitterness.

When she started her legal proceedings in 2013, she told the Belgian radio program Matin Premiere: 'I feel like I have a right to exist. Not to exist in the royal family, but as me.

“My decision to seek help through the law, I feel today that it was the right thing to do… The legal system said I was right and that I had a right to exist.”

Since the legal proceedings were settled, Princess Delphine has slowly integrated into the Belgian royal family.

She met her brother, King Philippe of Belgium, one of 20 Belgian royals she is related to, in 2020, where they posted a socially distanced photo on Facebook and described it as a “warm meeting.”

When she received her royal title, Princess Delphine was also invited to Belvédère Castle in Brussels, where she had an official meeting with her father and his wife, Queen Paola.