The love child of King Albert II of Belgium has said she feels ‘very sorry’ for the Duke of Sussex.
Princess Delphine, the result of an 18-year affair between the former monarch, 90, who abdicated in 2013, and Belgian aristocrat Sybille de Selys Longchamps, 83, commented on the British Royal Family in a new podcast episode.
Talking in the It’s Reigning Man with host Daniel Rosney, the 57-year-old said she follows Prince Harry’s circumstances in the news because of her admiration for Princess Diana.
‘Lady Diana was a part of my life when I was in England,’ Delphine, who previously lived in London but has since relocated to Brussels, said, adding, ‘She was just sunshine, in the news especially.’
Delphine claimed that Diana’s sudden death was complicated for Harry to process, and that speculation over his life since he left for Montecito with his former actress wife, Meghan Markle, counts as ‘bullying’.
Speaking in the podcast, Delphine said, ‘I feel very sorry for Harry, because I think that was traumatic for him.
‘I think Harry has suffered so much,’ she said, continuing, ‘He was traumatised, and it’s coming out now.
She added, ‘I understand the guy. He’s just traumatised, and so he’s doing these things and everyone is just bullying him but not thinking about his trauma, and I just find it terrible.’
Princess Delphine of Belgium has said she feels ‘very sorry’ for the Duke of Sussex (pictured with Meghan in California last year)
For decades, the former King distanced himself from Princess Delphine and her mother to preserve his marriage.
After Princess Delphine was born 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 King Albert abdicated the throne due to health reasons and was succeeded by his son King Philippe, Princess Delphine launched a legal bid to be officially recognised 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 recognised as a member of the Belgian royal family as are her two children Princess Joséphine of Belgium and Prince Oscar of Belgium who she shares with partner James O’Hare.
Speaking to Tatler in 2023, the princess, who is an artist, revealed her father’s rejection when she was young still hurts, but added she doesn’t blame him and holds no ill-will towards him.
She argued that royal life is ‘isolating’ and she believed her father had been badly advised at the time. However, she said, ‘You don’t just have a child and kick it.’
Reflecting on her seven-year legal battle, Delphine said the action she brought was not about money or status but ‘principles’.
Delphine has started attending royal engagements and said her relationship with her father has healed after years of bitterness.
The 57-year-old royal (seen in France in 2022) said she follows Harry’s circumstances in the news because of her love of Princess Diana
When she launched her legal action in 2013, she told Belgian radio show Matin Premiere, ‘I feel like I have a right to exist. Not to exist in the royal family but as me.
‘My decision to call for help through the law, I feel today that it was the right thing to do… The judicial system said that I was right and that I had the right to exist.’
Since the legal action has been settled, Princess Delphine has slowly become integrated into the Belgian royal family.
She met her brother, King Philippe of Belgium who is one of 20 Belgian royals she is related to – in 2020, where they posted a socially distanced picture to Facebook, describing it as a ‘warm meeting.‘
When she was granted 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.
It comes after the chief executive of Prince Harry’s Invictus Games saidRoyal Family are ‘very much welcome’ at the next event in 2027.
The statement came afterMail on Sunday exclusively revealed that Montecito-based Prince Harry, 40, is to extend an olive branch to his family by inviting them to the games, which will take place in Birmingham.
When asked whether members of the ruling family are due to attend, Helen Helliwell told People, ‘We’d be delighted if members of the royal family were able to attend and would very much welcome their presence in a couple of years.’
Princess Delphine is the child of King Albert II of Belgium andBelgian aristocrat Sybille de Selys Longchamps
Should they accept the invitation, it would mark the first time members of the Royal Family have attended the Invictus Games since its inception in 2014.
Harry founded Invictus with the support of his father, King Charles and brother Prince William, as well as other senior royals, to support and encourage wounded military personnel.
Helliwell added that she would be similarly pleased if Harry and Meghan attend the event in two years.
‘We will be delighted if they come over for the year out and for the Games,’ Helen said, adding, ‘We are so far out it’s impossible for one individual to confirm their plans, but we would be delighted if the Duke were able to come.’
Reports from The Telegraph claimed that Harry sent an email invitation to Charles and other senior royals last month, which will be followed by a formal invitation at a later date.
Sources said the timing of the invitation was designed to give the family the best possible chance of attending, given that Charles is known to draw up his schedule up to three years in advance.
But the extraordinary move, which could see Harry pictured with the Royal Family for the first time since the late Queen’s funeral, has raised eyebrows among some commentators.
Ingrid Seward said: ‘The King might attend to show support for the Armed Forces and congratulate Harry on the most significant success in his life.
Delphine said that she believes Prince Harry (seen in London in April) is ‘bullied’ by the general public
‘The only reason the King is wary of associating with his son is that he no longer trusts him not to repeat their private conversations as he has done in the past. This goes for all the working members of the family.’
Fellow royal commentator Katie Nicholl added: ‘The King absolutely wants a relationship with his youngest son and with his grandchildren.
‘He has an incredible capacity for forgiveness and he wants to be magnanimous in all of this and therefore there’s certainly a possibility that the King might consider attending Invictus.’
Despite the Royals’ previously strong support for Invictus, the invitation – should anyone choose to accept it – is likely to cause some headaches for Royal aides as it involves a major scheduling conflict.
The Games are set to open at Birmingham’s NEC on July 12, 2027, and will conclude on July 17 – the day Queen Camilla turns 80 – for which there are likely to already be some celebrations planned.
It also remains to be seen whether the Duke would risk bringing Meghan and their children Archie, six, and four-year-old Lilibet, to the UK for the event, having previously insisted he could not do so unless the family were offered ‘full police protection’.
‘Harry has agreed that Invictus should extend an invitation to his family,’ a source told The Mail on Sunday.
‘Invictus hopes the Royal Family will come along to support the wounded veterans taking part. Harry is hopeful his father will set aside their differences to attend the Invictus Games and support veterans.
‘The Royals have always been hugely supportive of Invictus and proud of what Harry has achieved in that arena. This is one olive branch from him which might be reciprocated.’
Harry made it clear in a BBC interview in May that he would welcome a rapprochement with his father and with the wider family, despite acknowledging the hurt caused by his brutally honest memoir, Spare.
‘There’s no point in continuing to fight any more,’ he said. ‘Life is precious.’ He added: ‘Forgiveness is 100 per cent a possibility because I would like to get my father and brother back.’
The Invictus invitations are thought to represent the first time Harry has publicly reached out in a bid to gather his family together.
The invitees and the wording of the invitations are said to have been approved by Harry, with the emails being sent to private secretaries at the Palace.
The Games are expected to bring significant economic and social benefit to Birmingham.
A spokesman for Invictus said in June: ‘No formal invitations have been issued as preparations are in the early stages.’
