Belgium. The King's hidden daughter exposes herself
Back in the country for a few weeks, Delphine is exhibiting… a few steps from the royal palace. Encounter…
(B2) The cleverly organized rumor spreads through the city. The "secret" daughter of King Albert II exhibits not far from the royal palace. The fruit of the not very legitimate love of the king of the Belgians is indeed an artist. Living in London, in the not very poor district of Nothing Hill, Delphine is indeed a graduate of the rather renowned Chelsea School of Arts. Since then she has specialized in papier-mâché sculptures, preferably in colour.
His illustrious paternity came to light two years ago. An 18-year-old college student, a history buff, Mario Danneels, then published a biography of Queen Paola. Along the way, he reveals what some are already whispering in the kingdom. The very Catholic Albert, heir to the crown then, had had an affair in the 1960s with Sybille Sélys de Longchamps, a well-known aristocrat at Court, from whom a daughter, Delphine, was born.
Suffice to say that the exhibition which opens under his first name alone in a few days is not being done incognito. “Nope…” she confides to us, with a disarming smile. "But after all - she laughs frankly - I'm Belgian." On her parentage, Delphine also keeps her mouth shut. Above all, she wants to be an artist. " In my works, I seek to express the thoughts, the way of seeing things, to have an open mind compared to people who have a straight vision of life and who do not have an opening on things.. “Who is this aimed at? Mystery. But if need be, the titles of his works speak for themselves.
Between the "lovers throne" or the "royal candelstick", monarchical inspiration is everywhere. And if there is need to check, just take a look at his latest work. In a kind of alcove made of torn papers all in colours, green, orange, red, blue, hangs a simple five-branch lamppost — the king, the queen and their three "official" children… — from which hangs a small jar, in which a fish swims… alone. Symbolic! At the Royal Palace, we do not comment on this incursion into Belgian lands. And we are careful not to mention the possibility of an invitation for the Christmas holidays. But part of the nobility has already chosen. During the opening, we could thus come across some illustrious heads who came more to be seen and to see Delphine than her work...
Nicolas Gros Verheyde
Published in France-Soir, December 2001
