Court orders ex-Belgian king to give DNA or faces fines

BRUSSELS – A Belgian appeals court has ruled that King Albert II, the country’s former monarch, must pay 5,000 euros ($5,593) for each day that he refuses to provide DNA in a case brought by a woman who claims to be his love child.

The Brussels court on Thursday ordered the 84-year-old to attend an appointment and provide a DNA sample in the presence of a justice official. He will be fined for each day he fails to respect that appointment.

Delphine Boel has been trying to establish paternity for years and her story has often made headlines. Albert has never publicly denied being her father but has refused to provide DNA despite an October court order to do so.

Albert abdicated to his son Philippe in 2013 due to health reasons.