Former King Albert of Belgium finally meets his daughter Delphine

The long-running royal scandal that has fascinated Belgium and damaged those involved has reached a new milestone after former King Albert II reunited with the daughter he fathered out of wedlock more than half a century ago, and stubbornly refused to recognize.

After a momentous few weeks, the former king and his wife, Queen Paola, welcomed the former Delphine Boel to their residence, the 18th-century Belvedere Castle on the outskirts of Brussels. Boel, a 52-year-old artist, won recognition as Her Royal Highness Princess Delphine last month after a bitter two-decade paternity fight.

“After the tumult, suffering and pain, it is time for forgiveness, healing and reconciliation,” the three said in a joint statement issued by the Royal Palace on Tuesday, two days after the meeting.

“Together, we decided to take this new path. It will take patience and effort, but we are determined,” they said.

In September, a Belgian court ruled in favor of Princess Delfina and officially recognized her as the daughter of King Albert II, something the elderly monarch had fought tooth and nail to avoid since the paternity rumors became public in 1998.

Princess Delphine is an artist known for her quirky, sometimes outrageous, statues that might even have references to her royal father. Albert II, 86, was king until 2013.

Sunday’s meeting was soon followed by a warm meeting with his half brother, the reigning King Philip, at the royal palace.

Rumors about Albert’s mother and Princess Delphine, the aristocratic wife of a wealthy industrialist, had been around for years, but Albert long refused to acknowledge her.

Princess Delphine said that going to court was about gaining family recognition and the love of a father who for too long had treated her coldly and fought her in court. He said it made his life “more painful.”

The photo from Sunday’s meeting showed the three of them in front of a fireplace with cookies, untouched, on the table. The three of them sat apart and their smiles were subdued, yet it was a watershed moment for the royal house of Belgium.

“During our meeting at Belvedere Castle, each of us, with empathy and serenity, was able to express their feelings and experiences,” the statement said. “A new chapter had opened, rich in emotions, tranquility, understanding and hope.”

– Associated Press