"Pink is simply my color," the controversial princess said
Credit: Patrick van Katwijk/WireImage (2)
NEED TO KNOW
- Princess Delphine is speaking out after getting criticism for her outfit at Belgium’s National Day celebrations
- “Pink is simply my color,” she told Belgian outlet HLN
- Delphine added, “It is absolutely not my intention to steal the spotlight or take it away from someone else”
Princess Delphine of Belgium is defending her eyebrow-raising outfit for the National Day celebrations.
Delphine, 58, joined the rest of the Belgians royal family for a parade celebrating the holiday on July 21, where she made a statement in a bold pink outfit. The dress featured a mini skirt and a statement V-neckline with exaggerated sleeves, paired with platform heels and white elbow-length gloves featuring heart details. Royal reporter Wim Dehandschutter said on social media that the outfit was "love" themed and the dramatic neckline was intended to create a heart shape.
After drawing criticism online, Princess Delphine responded by telling Belgian outlet HLN about the Bert De Coninck ensemble, "Pink is simply my color."
"It exudes joy, pleasure and light. It’s festive — the complete opposite of black," she added.
Credit: Andreas Rentz/Getty
Defending the skirt length, which was a contrast to the long and midi-length outfits worn by other royal women at the event, Delphine added, "It’s not even short enough yet. Now is the time to wear it. In a few years, it might not be possible anymore, when everything starts to sag.”
However, she denied accusations about trying to "steal" the spotlight.
"My goal is absolutely not to attract all the attention to myself or to steal it from someone else. Besides, everyone attracts attention in their own way," she said.
"King Philippe, for example, has four beautiful children," she said about her half-brother and his kids, who all attended the National Day festivities. "They stand out because they are truly stunning."
Credit: Andreas Rentz/Getty
Princess Delphine, who attended the event alongside her husband, American businessman James O’Hare, has often made a statement with her fashion choices, opting for bold patterns, bright colors and even quirky accessories like heart-shaped sunglasses.
Delphine has been attending Belgium's National Day celebrations with the royal family since 2021, a year after a DNA test confirmed she is the child of Belgium’s King Albert II. The former monarch recognized his daughter, who was born outside of his marriage to Queen Paola, after a lengthy legal battle in which she won the right to call herself a princess.
Credit: Geert Vanden Wijngaert/Getty
Rumors about King Albert's royal love child circulated for decades before becoming public with the 1999 publication of a biography on Queen Paola.
Delphine first came forward in 2005, claiming to have been born from a long affair between Albert and her mother, Baroness Sybille Selys de Longchamps. She claimed the monarch had acknowledged her in private, but things changed in 1993 when Albert’s older brother King Baudouin died suddenly of a heart attack. The throne moved to Albert, and the new monarch reportedly called Delphine in 1993 once before cutting all ties.
Shortly after King Albert abdicated the throne in favor of his eldest son, King Philippe, Delphine pursued legal action to be recognized by her father. In 2020, Albert conceded to fathering Delphine following a court-ordered DNA test.
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Princess Delphine has attended some royal events since and opened up about her relationship with her half-siblings. She said on the It’s Reigning Men podcast in 2025 that she thinks “it’s difficult for them to accept the situation, adding, “They don’t dislike me at all, but I think it’s hard for them.”
“You know, they have their lives. I have mine,” she said. “It is always very nice for me to feel like I have brothers and sisters. I always dreamt of that.”
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