Romy Haag was born as Edouard Frans Verbaarsschott, his father was a billboard painter and his mother a shop assistant. Soon after his birth there were discussions of having gender-correctional surgery and in his early teens the effeminate boy began developing breasts. Verbaarsschott was severely bullied at school for his physical appearance and also his parents found it difficult to deal with the situation. Haag therefore took the decision to leave home at the age of 13 and started working in the world of variety shows and circus.