Belgium's Prince Laurent tried to commit suicide last month, it has been claimed.
The 50-year-old prince - the younger brother of King Philippe - was hospitalised in March, with an official statement saying he had contracted pneumonia, but La Capitale newspaper has claimed "persistent rumours" state he was rushed first to see a psychiatrist at a Brussels hospital on March 21, before being moved in intensive care and placed in an artificial coma.
Other reports claim the prince - who was discharged from hospital earlier this week - suffers from a form of depression, but the royal household are still maintaining he was treated for pneumonia.
Pierre De Baow, communications director at the royal palace, said: "The prince was not hospitalised as the result of a suicide attempt but for pneumonia."
Asked about other reports that Laurent had attempted suicide on a previous occasions he declined to comment.
It had been claimed the prince took a potentially-deadly cocktail of prescription medication in 1996 in a "cry for help", and it is also alleged his mental health issues stem from a breakdown in his relationship with his parents, King Albert and Queen Paola who did not visit him in hospital for two weeks despite frequent reports he was near death.
The spokesperson said it was because they "were abroad" but were kept informed of his condition.
Albert abdicated last year in favour of Philippe, 53.

Lily Allen says her feud with Azealia Banks helped "find her voice."
The 'Hard Out Here' singer admits that her song-writing "sounded terrible" during her four year hiatus from music, but claims her Twitter spat with the '212' hitmaker - which started after the New York rapper called her children "ugly" - inspired her to pen new material.
Lily, who has daughters Ethel, two, and 15 month old Marnie, with husband Sam Cooper, told The Sun newspaper: "I tried to write through my pregnancy with my youngest, but the hormones were really weird and it was just really forced and sounded terrible.
"Then it wasn't until I stopped breastfeeding, six months on Azealia tweeted me on Twitter, that I was like, 'Yes you know who I am.' "
Azealia also took a swipe at the 'Not Fair' singer's husband Sam by saying he looks like a "thumb", which forced Lily to brand the rapper a "one-hit wonder".
However, Lily insists the harsh comments all contributed to her comeback record 'Sheezus'.
She explained: "I found my voice again then, I just bashed it all out. It was like two years of writing before I found it."

Julie Walters will be honoured with the BAFTA Fellowship at the British Academy Television Awards.
The 64-year-old actress - best known for her roles in the 'Harry Potter' movies and TV sitcom 'Dinnerladies' - will be recognised for her stellar career in television at the annual awards ceremony on May 18.
The BAFTA Fellowship is the highest accolade the awards committee can bestow and Julie is "honoured" to be its next recipient.
She said: "I am honoured to receive this prestigious award and extremely shocked. I've worked with some brilliant people over the years and have been very fortunate to have had the opportunities to work on such a variety of projects."
Amanda Berry, chief executive of BAFTA, said: "Julie Walters is one the most talented individuals to grace our screens. She has the innate ability to draw the viewer in across any genre, captivating and entertaining with every performance. Julie is thoroughly deserving of the Fellowship, the highest honour the Academy can bestow."
Previous BAFTA Fellowship winners include comedy duo Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, Richard Curtis, Sir David Jason and Sir Bruce Forsyth.
Last year's Fellowship was awarded to Michael Palin.

Emmerdale's Donna Windsor is terminally ill.
Viewers discovered in last night's (10.04.14) episode that the returning character, played by Verity Rushworth, is suffering from a rare form of cancer which can't be treated.
Donna was rushed to hospital by her stepfather Bob Hope (Tony Audenshaw) after hitting her head and feeling woozy, but once alone with the doctor, Donna revealed the extent of her medical issues.
She said: "I know what's wrong with me and you're not going to be able to sort it. I did bang my head, but that's not why I went dizzy. I've got Mesothelioma.
"I have regular check-ups back home. They monitor me - there's nothing they can do, really. It's terminal."
Donna recently returned to the Dales and sprung a major surprise on ex-husband Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) by revealing they have a daughter, April.
The terminally ill returnee has been eager for Marlon to get to know their child, and it seems this is due to her cancer diagnosis.
Verity, 28, has returned to 'Emmerdale' for a five-month stint after initially playing Donna for 11 years between 1998 and 2009.

James Lock has been charged with drug possession.
'The Only Way Is Essex' star was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and possession of illegal drugs back in February following a bust-up with a cab driver in Dagenham, Essex.
The possession charge was subsequently downgraded from a class A to a class C substance, said to be horse tranquiliser ketamine.
A Metropolitan police spokesman confirmed to the Daily Mirror newspaper: "Police were called at approx 0245hrs on Sunday, 9 February to reports of a dispute in Foxlands Crescent, Dagenham.
"Two men were arrested after becoming involved in a dispute with a minicab driver.
"One man, aged 27, was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and possession of class A drugs.
"A second man, aged 31, was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and a public order offence."
James pleaded not guilty in court to both charges on April 3 and is next due to appear in Romford magistrates' court on June 27.
The 27-year-old star, known as Lockie, could be fired from the ITV2 reality show if the accusations are proved true.
He has been accused of cheating on his girlfriend Danielle Armstrong in recent weeks, but the pair appear to have made up.

Katie Hopkins says Peaches Geldof's family need to be left alone to grieve her tragic death.
The outspoken star - who famously clashed with Peaches in a TV debate on 'This Morning' last year - has been unusually quiet on social media about the late 25 year old socialite's sudden death on Monday (07.04.14), and she has now revealed her silence is her way of paying her respects to Peaches' family.
Writing in her column for The Sun newspaper, Katie blasted other celebrities for making a "spectacle" of death by rushing to Twitter to share their condolences and feels a dignified silence is the best tribute she can make.
She wrote: "Social media has changed the game and celebrities play it well. They have taken it upon themselves to lead the nation in its grief - like a bishop at a state funeral.
"I refused to be part of this revolting spectacle.
"[Peaches' father] Bob, her husband and the children need to be left in private to clutch on to anything that keeps them afloat. We can feel dreadful for them without providing commentary at the horrible spectacle of it all."
The former 'Apprentice' contestant went on to praise Peaches - who leaves behind two children, Astala, 23 months, and 11-month-old Phaedra - for being a formidable opponent in their TV debate.
She added: "Peaches and I met once, on a TV sofa in central London. We were strangers and remained adversaries. Peaches didn't want a tweet from me. She didn't welcome it. She certainly didn't need it in death. She was tough enough not to seek approval from anyone. I admire that trait in others."

Mickey Rooney will be laid to rest in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
The body of the Hollywood legend - who passed away on Sunday (06.04.14) aged 93 from natural causes and complications due to diabetes - had been at the centre of a dispute between his attorney Mike Augustine and his wife Janice Rooney, but they have now reached an agreement and the actor's final wish will be granted.
Mr. Augustine, Trustee of Mickey's estate, told People: "I just signed the settlement papers."
Janice had wanted the burial to take place in Westlake, where the couple lived together until 2012, but has now agreed the 'Night at the Museum star' can be buried alongside Hollywood icons including Douglas Fairbanks, Jayne Mansfield, and Charlie Chaplin,
She and the lawyer will now make plans for a small family funeral over the next few days, and are hoping to arrange a larger memorial service over the coming weeks.
It was recently revealed Janice - who was married to Mickey for 35 years - and his eight children were disinherited in the 'Andy Hardy' star's will, with his modest $18,000 estate going to his stepson and full-time carer Mark Aber and his wife Charlene.
Mickey argued that Jan receiving his Social Security benefits and some of his pension earnings would be adequate compensation, and said that his children were in a better financial position than himself.

Mariah Carey never wanted to have children.
The 44-year-old singer was "convinced" she would never be a mother from a young age, but says having twins Moroccan and Monroe, now three, with husband Nick Cannon brought a new purpose to her life.
She told 'Entertainment Tonight Canada': "I never thought I was going to have kids. I remember being a little girl and going 'I don't think I'm going to have babies when I grow up'.
"For a while I was probably convinced of that and I just realised things change and that's what happens...
"[The twins] give me a reason to live."
Mariah has penned a track for her children - who are nicknamed Dem Babies - which appears on her forthcoming new album, and the tots even sing on the song.
She explained: "It's called 'Supernatural'. Dem babies are on the song. And they were singing this one when they were just two years old.
"Mainly it's Miss Monroe singing but Rocco is on there."
The 'Hero' hitmaker's main priority when writing new music is for it to make her happy, so she is happy to mix up genres to suit her moods.
She said: "I still want to be able to do things that make me happy. If a mid-tempo record makes me happy and it's a bit of an old school, hip hop beat, then cool."

Andrew Garfield is "thankful" he was bullied at school.
'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' actor had a tough time growing up and started to read comic books when he was picked on as a schoolboy in Surrey, South East England.
He told the Daily Mail newspaper: "I like to say I was thankful to my school bully, because without him, I wouldn't be in this position now.
"I thought that [being sensitive] was a weakness, but I realise now those sensitivities can be real strength. Today I celebrate my sensitivities."
The 30-year-old star, who is dating co-star Emma Stone, claims he was a "skinny, sensitive kid" at school and he will never forget the experience of being bullied.
He said: "[It was] a defining experience you never forget. I have not forgotten who bullied me, but I'm not going to name and shame them.
"I know now that it goes on everywhere, and I also have more understanding of what makes a bully. They've been bullied before."
Andrew realises today's school children also have to deal with cyber-bullying and he "hopes parents realise what their children have access to" on the internet.
Despite his success with the comic films, the actor also revealed he's still not often spotted by people.
He added: "I'm not recognised much in life, which I appreciate in this age where we're so fame-obsessed. It's gone bonkers."

Ricky Gervais doesn't want to have children.
'The Office' funnyman has recently written his will and bequeathed his entire fortune to his girlfriend Jane Fallon, who he has been with for 30 years, because the pair decided long ago not to have kids.
He told The Sun newspaper: "You worry about dependents and wills and things and that everything goes to my girlfriend. I've worked out who will get it.
"We chose not to have kids. I still don't think about that. It doesn't bother me at all. I don't know if that is a legacy, really. It's biological. I don't think of things like that."
Ricky insists his legacy isn't something he ever thinks about and the only thing that worries him is the possibility of succumbing to a horrible disease.
He said: "I don't even think about who people will think of me when I die. It's meaningless. And I don't worry about death, I only worry about how you die. My mum died of lung cancer and that's just about the worst thing you can have. It's a horrible way to go."
However, the 52-year-old star is determined to be the best he can be at his job and wants to go down in history as one of the best British comics, like his idol John Cleese.
Ricky added: "But I do worry about my legacy when I'm alive. I want to keep doing this for as long as I can. I want to be like John Cleese and be able to look back when I'm 70 and go, 'Oh my god, 'Fawlty Towers' is still voted one the greatest comedies of all time.' I want to think like that. My legacy after I die isn't so important to me because it really doesn't make sense."

Mystique may get her own 'X-Men' spin-off.
Jennifer Lawrence's shape-shifting character has proved so popular with fans that producers are considering giving her a solo outing in the same vein as Hugh Jackman's Wolverine.
Writer and producer Simon Kinberg told Entertainment Weekly: "I love what Jen Lawrence has done with her, and I feel like because she is in such a crowded ensemble, there's so much more opportunity if you were to follow her solo."
Lauren Shuler Donner, who has produced all of the 'X-Men' films, agreed that Mystique would make a great stand-alone film and added that Fox are open to the prospect of creating more than one spin-off.
She said: "There was a regime [at the studio] that didn't see the worth in [spin-offs], and the current people who run Fox understand, embrace it, and we're going to do right by it.
"I'd like to do Gambit. I'd like to do Deadpool. We'll see. There's a lot of really great characters."
So far, Hugh Jackman is the only actor to land his own spin-off with Wolverine. However, the Mystique idea could be a long time in the making since the studio's focus is primarily on releasing 'X-Men: Apocalypse' for 2016 and the new 'Wolverine' film scheduled for 2017.
'X-Men: Days of Future Past ' will hit cinemas in May.
 

Matthew Tolmach thinks Spider-Man is the 'crown jewel' of all superheroes.
The film producer, who along with Avi Arad and director Mark Webb, has rejuvenated the story of Peter Parker, who after being bitten by a spider finds he has superhero powers, for 'The Amazing Spider-Man' films and he claims they're so popular because people can relate.
Quizzed on whether he felt pressure to compete with other superhero movies, he exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "Yes. But Spider-Man is his own thing. I think, you know, to me he's the crown jewel of all these characters. He's us, you know, he's not ripped, he's not powerful. There's something special about him."
Andrew Garfield, 30, takes on the role of Spider-Man in the current films alongside 'Gangster Squad' actress Emma Stone, who plays his love interest Gwen Stacy, and he praised the message that he believes the film sends.
Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz at the World Premiere of 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' at the Odeon Cinema in London's Leicester Square last night (10.04.14), he said: " It's about being nice to your brother, being nice to your fellow man and about protecting each other and we're all one community, we're all one tribe. You've got to follow your heart.
'Django Unchained' star Jamie Foxx made his debut as the villainous Electro in the latest installment of the film franchise and he confessed his personality was suited to being a baddie.
He said: "I didn't find it difficult at all [to play a villain]. I watched a lot of Clint Eastwood, trying to get cool, you know."