Prince Laurent in induced coma for lung infection

Prince Laurent, the younger brother of King Filip, is being held in an artificial coma in the intensive care facility of Saint-Luc Hospital in Brussels, the royal palace has confirmed. The prince is suffering a respiratory tract infection.

Prince Laurent, 50, was last week reported to be suffering a burn-out, but those reports were premature. According to the palace, he has a serious lung infection, which is being treated in hospital with antibiotics. The hospital announced that treatment would be improved if the prince was kept stable in a coma.

Comas are induced only rarely for a lung infection. The hospital has not released a statement, but intensive care director Philippe Jorens of Antwerp’s University Hospital told the Gazet van Antwerpen that it is done if the infection is serious enough. “The body needs all its energy to recover,” he said. “If you do nothing, the body uses all its energy just to function. That hinders the healing process."

Neither the palace nor the hospital has provided an explanation as to why the palace last week reported that Prince Laurent had been hospitalised suffering from fatigue, or whether that was related to his present condition.

The former King Albert and Queen Paolo are abroad but are in regular contact with Laurent’s wife, Princess Claire, the palace said. King Filip and Queen Mathilde, meanwhile, have visited Laurent in hospital.