Background
She is the daughter of Nicholas John Coombs (Bath, 14 April 1938), a British-born businessman, and his Belgian wife (Uccle, 9 April 1971), Nicole Eva Gabrielle Thérèse, née Mertens (Ixelles, 20 June 1951).
She is the daughter of Nicholas John Coombs (Bath, 14 April 1938), a British-born businessman, and his Belgian wife (Uccle, 9 April 1971), Nicole Eva Gabrielle Thérèse, née Mertens (Ixelles, 20 June 1951).
Her family relocated to Dion-le-Val, near to Brussels in francophone Wallonia in 1977. She has therefore lived in Belgium since age 3. She takes part in public events such as the celebrations for Belgium"s National Day, and royal family events such as weddings and christenings.
Unlike her two sisters-in-law, Mathilde and Astrid, Claire has no defined official role.
18 January 1974 - 12 April 2003: Mission Claire Louise Coombs 12 April 2003 - present: Her Royal Highness Princess Claire of Belgium This title is no longer automatic for a consort since a Royal Decree of 1991, abrogating the 1891 Royal Decree that accorded the wife of a Prince of Belgium the feminine version of that title upon approved marriage. Since Prince Laurent does not hold a personal title such as Count of Flanders or Prince of Liège, as Belgium"s cadet princes were formerly granted, so she has no other title as his consort.