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Lamoral, 1st Prince of Ligne (1563–1624), was a prominent 17th-century diplomat born at Château de Belœil to Philip, Count of Ligne, and Marguerite de Lalaing. He became the first Prince de Ligne in 1601 after receiving the hereditary title from Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II. Lamoral served as a diplomat for Archduke Albert of Austria and Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia, representing them at the French court of Henri IV and later congratulating Louis XIII on his marriage to Philip III of Spain’s daughter. He also engaged in diplomatic discussions with French leaders during these missions.

In 1621, King Philip IV of Spain honored Lamoral as a grandee for his services to the Crown and knighted him in the Order of the Golden Fleece. In his personal life, Lamoral married Anne-Marie de Melun in 1584, and they had five children: Yolande, Florent, Anne, Lambertine, and Ernestine Yolande. Each child married into prominent noble families, with notable marriages including Yolande’s union with Charles Alexandre de Croÿ and Florent’s marriage to Louise of Lorraine. Their descendants included Albert Henri, who became the 2nd Prince de Ligne, and Claude Lamoral, the 3rd Prince, ensuring the continuation of the Ligne lineage.