The Belgian Prince's attempt to request social security benefits at the summit of his six -figure royal allowance was rejected by a court.
Prince Laurent – King Philip's younger brother – received 388,000 euros (295 850 pounds; $ 376,000) from state funds last year, but said his work entitled him and his family for social security.
He claims that he is partly busy for the obligations he performs as royal, as well as leading a charity for animal welfare over the last decade.
61 -year -old Laurent said he was acting from “principle”, not for money. The court did not agree.
“When a migrant comes here, he registers, he is entitled to (social security),” he told Belgian operator RTBF.
“I can also be a migrant, but one whose family found the state in place.”
But on Monday, the Brussels court rejected Laurent's request on the grounds that the prince could be considered neither self -employed nor an employee.
According to the television operator VTM, however, the judge acknowledged that the prince should actually be entitled to a pension – but said that the gaps in the legislation did this impossible and called for the law to be amended.
His lawyer Olivier Reikkayrt told the Belgian newspaper Le Soir that Laurent's request is not based on a “fad” and insists on his symbolism, saying that social security is “provided by the Belgian law of all residents, from the most people to the largest.”
D -Rikkayrt also said that the greater part of the prince's allowance is spent on the salary of his assistant and the various travel costs.
This means that Laurent remains about 5,000 euros (4300 pounds; $ 5,500) per month, but there is no social security benefits, with the right to request some medical expenses back.
The prince-who has three elderly children with a spouse born by the British Claire Cumbs-also expressed his concerns about the well-being of his family as the royal allowance would be shortened when he died.
Laurent took court action against the Belgian state after his application for social security was denied. The first hearing took place in November 2024.
According to RTBF, the prince and his legal advisor have not yet decided whether to appeal the court's decision.
Lorentm, which is 15th in the Belgian inheritance line, is no unknown to the contradiction and is sometimes called Prince – The Damn Prince – in Belgium.
In 2018, the Belgian Federal Parliament voted for Doking your monthly allowance for a year After attending a reception of a Chinese embassy without the permission of the government, in a complete naval uniform.
He has also picked up Several fines for speeding And he was criticized for the presence of meetings in Libya when the late Muammar Gaddafi was still in power.