Patrick van Katwijk, Olivier Polet/ AFP via Getty Images
- Princess Delphine of Belgium attended her first event as a royal on Wednesday.
- Delphine wore a colorful ensemble to observe a National Day military parade in Brussels.
- She received a title after a legal battle and a DNA test confirmed King Albert II was her father.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
Princess Delphine of Belgium attended her first royal event since officially being recognized as the daughter of King Albert II and receiving her title.
Delphine, the previously secret daughter of the former King of Belgium, attended a National Day military parade outside the Royal Palace in Brussels alongside her husband, James O'Hare, and other members of the family on Wednesday, People reports.
The 52-year-old wore a purple, turquoise, and peach patterned wrap dress with a matching hat to the event. While Delphine has attended royal events in the past, this is the first time she has done so as a princess, a title she was granted in October 2020.
Insider's Samantha Grindell previously reported that Delphine had said since 2005 she was the daughter of King Albert II, who reportedly had an affair with Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps between 1966 to 1984, but was only formally recognized as such after a 7-year legal battle.
Albert denied she was his daughter until he received a court order to undertake a DNA test in January 2020 and was told he would have had to pay $5,586 (€5,000) for every day he did not provide a sample for the test.
According to BBC News, representatives for Albert released a statement upon learning that he was Delphine's father in January 2020.
The statement said that he had "learnt the results of the DNA test... [and] the scientific conclusions indicate that he is the biological father of Mrs Delphine Boël." The lawyers added that Albert now "accepts Delphine Boël becomes his fourth child."
Following Albert's admission, Delphine petitioned a Brussels court to allow her the same privileges as his other children, which she was granted along with a royal title on October 1, 2020, as Insider previously reported.
Delphine met with her father for the first time in late October 2020, as well as his wife Queen Paola, according to local newspaper De Standaard. The royal couple have three children together: King Philippe, Princess Astrid, and Prince Laurent.
In a jointly signed press release, Delphine, Albert, and Paola described the meeting as "a new chapter, rich in emotions, peace of mind, understanding and hope," De Standaard reported at the time.
"After the tumult, the suffering and the wounds, it is time for forgiveness, healing and reconciliation. Together we have decided to take this new path. This will take patience and effort, but we are determined. These are the first steps on a path that we will walk in peace," the statement said.
Representatives for the Royal Palace of Brussels did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
