Welcome to The Flemish Republic
Why the Belgian federation should be dissolved and Flanders should become an independent state. |
|
 Articles
Saxe-Coburg Watch: Royals on Vacation
05/01/2008 :: Every year the Belgians pay their royal family a royal sum of 54 million euros. Ten million is given through the Civil List, the remaining millions via other sources. Unlike other countries, Belgium pays not only the king and the crown prince, but it provides for all the legitimate offspring of King Albert II, including his youngest son, Prince Laurent, even though the latter is only 11th in line for the Belgian throne.
No wonder the Belgian Saxe-Coburgs so ardently defend their artificial country. Like the corrupt Walloon Socialists they stand to lose a lot if the country falls apart. Who will support them then? Almost half a million euros was spent on air travel for the royal family in 2007. Half of the flights were to France and Spain, where the royals own a number of holiday houses. Last March the Belgians learned that Prince Laurent has used his stipend to invest in real estate on the Italian island of Panarea.
Meanwhile his brother, Crown Prince Philippe, is involved in a quarrel with the Flemish regional government over antique furniture which the prince removed from the former royal palace in Antwerp. Since 1970 the building is the property of the Flemish Ministry of Culture. In 1995, the prince had the most valuable pieces of furniture brought to his palace in Brussels. The Flemish authorities are demanding them back, but the Crown Prince refuses to hand them over.
Article in issue nº 22
Previous page
|
|
|
