Prince Laurent of Belgium

Born in the Château de Belvédère near Laeken, Belgium, he was educated at the Royal Cadet High School and at the Royal Military Academy.

Prince Laurent and Claire Louise Coombs were married in Brussels on 12 April 2003. Coombs was also given the title of Princess of Belgium upon her marriage. The couple have three children: Princess Louise (born 6 February 2004), Prince Nicolas and Prince Aymeric (born 13 December 2005). The family live in Villa Clementine, in Tervuren.

Prince Laurent is also a godfather to Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, the daughter of Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, a current pretender to the former throne of Two Sicilies and his wife, Princess Camilla, Duchess of Castro.

In December 2006, Prince Laurent's name surfaced in a corruption scandal in which funds of the Belgian Navy were spent on his residence (Villa Clémentine) in Tervuren. Although the investigating magistrates denied that Laurent was personally implicated, some of the accused have implicated the prince in the press.

On 5 January 2007, it became known that King Albert II had signed a royal decree, making it possible for Laurent to be called up as a witness in the corruption trial which was to start 8 January. One of the defendants immediately used this to subpoena the prince. During the evening of 8 January, Prince Laurent was interrogated by federal police, appearing in court the following day where he testified at the trial that he had no reason to believe the funding of his renovations could be illegal.[1]

Media reports in March 2007 suggested that Laurent was no longer welcome at the Royal Palace, possibly due to his role in the corruption scandal.[2]

Against this, defenders claim that there is some tradition in the Belgian press and among politicians to focus on shortcomings among members of the Belgian Royal Family. For example, King Philippe has been pursued for what may be no more than lack of dexterity among some of his advisers; and Lilian, Princess of Réthy (1916–2002) had in her younger days been pursued by some deputies who turned parliamentary sessions into debates about her necklines.[3]

In March 2011, the prince visited the former Belgian colony of the Congo without receiving the required permission; the reported purpose of the visit was to promote awareness of deforestation. As a result, on 9 April he accepted conditions laid down by Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme regarding his future activities; had he not done so, the matter of his annual appanage would have been in question.

In March 2014, Prince Laurent was hospitalised with pneumonia and depression.[4] He was voluntarily placed in a medically-induced coma on March 25, and was awakened on 27 March.[5] On 4 April, Queen Paola stated in a letter that Laurent's condition was improving, and that she felt he was 'the most vulnerable' of her three children.[6]

• His Royal Highness Prince Laurent of Belgium (1963–present)

Prince Laurent does not hold a personal title as younger princes were previously accustomed to receive in the past (such as Count of Flanders or Prince of Liège).

1983–1986 : Royal Military Academy, 123rd promotion TAW ("All Weapons" Faculty) September 1985  – September 1989 : Belgian Navy, ensign 2nd class (Enseigne de vaisseau de 2ème classe/ Vaandrig-ter-zee 2de klasse) Officer oath on 30 October 1985 Specialization: combat diver and helicopter pilot Combat diver badge: 20 July 1989 in Brugge handed by his father, divisional admiral September 1989  – 15 November 1994 : Belgian Navy, ship-of-the-line lieutenant (Lieutenant de vaisseau) helicopter pilot badge handed in 1990 by his uncle King Baudouin 15 November 1994 – 26 June 2004 : Belgian Navy, frigate captain (Capitaine de frégate) 26 June 2004 – : Belgian Navy, ship-of-the-line captain (Capitaine de vaisseau)

1985 1989 1994 2004

Source : www.monarchie.be, Prince Laurent

• Official biography from the Belgian Royal Family website