Prince Laurent, Princess Claire & Family - News & Events, Part 5; Jan 2014 - Dec 2016

[*Mara*]

Can someone elaborate more on this story please?
Did Laurent lie about representing Belgium in arranging a meeting the Sri Lankan PM?
I find it hard to believe a Prime minister would randomly meet Laurent if he didn't have credentials or was justifiably invited to meet with the Prime Minister.

According to Laurent's twitter account he receives many requests from officials, not sure how he got in touch with the PM of Sri Lanka. After guiding him around in his renewable energy house he put a picture on his twitter account. This was picked up by two staunchly republican members of parliament. They asked the Prime Minister if Laurent has asked for consent before meeting the PM and if there would be sanctions in case he didn't. (Laurent and all other members of the RF are obliged to ask for permission. This rule was introduced after Laurent's ill-fated journey to the Congo.) Rules are for everyone but Laurent and so he certainly didn't ask for permission. The prime minister basically saved Laurent by saying he would have gotten permission if he had asked but they will explain the rules to him again and that his dotation won’t be reduced because of this incident.
Laurent however thinks he has been treated unfairly again and had a meltdown in front of the cameras yesterday while visiting the Senate.
Prince Laurent unleashes bizarre rant in parliament
It's again all the fault of his family and of the politicians etc pp. The media is having a field day with him again. All he has achieved is another round of negative and damaging headlines and now the journalists are looking into his finances even closer with unflattering results of course.

Really, it's about time to stop this farce and abolish his and Astrid's dotation. He will be the free man he desires to be then, without lavish financial support of the taxpayer of course. For sure it will be cruel and nasty and he will air all kind of dirty laundry in the press, but can it be worse than it is now with incident after incident? He already is as disloyal as it gets. Better a miserable end than endless misery imo.
Also where is Claire in all this? Not that she is responsible for Laurent's nonsense, but he is basically gambling away their family income, shouldn't she stop him for the sake of their finances?

 

[melina premiere]

There are rules and Laurent has to follow them, yes, but in this interview, he is right to be angry, He says that all his life he has wanted to work for his associations for the defense of the animals, he is angry because some politicians are saying that the associations don't work, he is saying that they are working, the finances are OK

We know how is Laurent but he is doing a good work for the defense of the animals, we need to have persons like him for the animals.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

.

Yesterday, December 6, Prince Laurent attended the seminar '30 years of animal welfare in Belgium' at the Senate in Brussels:


** Pic ** gettyimages gallery **

After this seminar in the Senate, Prince Laurent (a Senator himself) clashed with an interviewer after a question about the finances of one of the foundations the Prince is connected to ("the House of Renewable Energy"). In essence the Prince stated he was sick of some politicians and media always trying to paint him in a negative daylight and that he has contributed much more -financially- than he ever received from the State. Needless to say that this provoked a storm in online comments and on social media...

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

According to Laurent's twitter account he receives many requests from officials, not sure how he got in touch with the PM of Sri Lanka. After guiding him around in his renewable energy house he put a picture on his twitter account. This was picked up by two staunchly republican members of parliament. They asked the Prime Minister if Laurent has asked for consent before meeting the PM and if there would be sanctions in case he didn't. (Laurent and all other members of the RF are obliged to ask for permission. This rule was introduced after Laurent's ill-fated journey to the Congo.) Rules are for everyone but Laurent and so he certainly didn't ask for permission. The prime minister basically saved Laurent by saying he would have gotten permission if he had asked but they will explain the rules to him again and that his dotation won’t be reduced because of this incident.
Laurent however thinks he has been treated unfairly again and had a meltdown in front of the cameras yesterday while visiting the Senate.
Prince Laurent unleashes bizarre rant in parliament
It's again all the fault of his family and of the politicians etc pp. The media is having a field day with him again. All he has achieved is another round of negative and damaging headlines and now the journalists are looking into his finances even closer with unflattering results of course.

Really, it's about time to stop this farce and abolish his and Astrid's dotation. He will be the free man he desires to be then, without lavish financial support of the taxpayer of course. For sure it will be cruel and nasty and he will air all kind of dirty laundry in the press, but can it be worse than it is now with incident after incident? He already is as disloyal as it gets. Better a miserable end than endless misery imo.
Also where is Claire in all this? Not that she is responsible for Laurent's nonsense, but he is basically gambling away their family income, shouldn't she stop him for the sake of their finances?

Since Laurent claims he has contributed more to the State, than the State to him, gambling away the family income seems unlikely.

Your plea to remove the dotation from Princess Astrid, who has walked a spotless parcours, seem unfair to me. Let me give an example: your brother is fined for € 200,-- because of speed driving. You will be fined too. Hoppa: € 200,--. Maybe you will say: I have not exceeded the maximum speed, why am I fined? Well, because you are the sister of your brother, aren't you? Exactly the same logic you are following regarding Princess Astrid.

 

[maria-olivia]

Next to him was Mrs Christine Defraigne , President of the Senate. She should not have allowed this interview in the Parlement House.

 

[*Mara*]

There are rules and Laurent has to follow them, yes, but in this interview, he is right to be angry, He says that all his life he has wanted to work for his associations for the defense of the animals, he is angry because some politicians are saying that the associations don't work, he is saying that they are working, the finances are OK

We know how is Laurent but he is doing a good work for the defense of the animals, we need to have persons like him for the animals.

He is doing good work for animal welfare, I give him that. However he can claim whatever he wants, the finances are not in order and there is enough proof for it. Laurent just seems unable to see that he makes mayor mistakes and if he goes on like this nothing will ever change.

 

[melina premiere]

You say that the finances are not in order and there is enough proof, What do you you know about it?

I will believe it when I will have sure proof not what the news are saying.
I think nobody knows it.

 

[*Mara*]

Since Laurent claims he has contributed more to the State, than the State to him, gambling away the family income seems unlikely.

He seems to be the only one who believes this. He is constantly whining he hasn't enough money and a few years ago he claimed that Astrid can afford to lose the dotation but he can't. He needs the dotation and he knows it.

Your plea to remove the dotation from Princess Astrid, who has walked a spotless parcours, seem unfair to me. Let me give an example: your brother is fined for € 200,-- because of speed driving. You will be fined too. Hoppa: € 200,--. Maybe you will say: I have not exceeded the maximum speed, why am I fined? Well, because you are the sister of your brother, aren't you? Exactly the same logic you are following regarding Princess Astrid.

It has nothing to do with Astrid being collatoral damage of Laurent's behaviour. I think it's not desirable to fund members of the RF other than the king, the queen, the CP and retired monarchs.

 

[*Mara*]

You say that the finances are not in order and there is enough proof, What do you you know about it?

I will believe it when I will have sure proof not what the news are saying.
I think nobody knows it.

Well, if you don't trust the news/media than you can still look into the lawsuits Laurent's foundations are involved with. Or search the database of the federal parliament for the many questions around Laurent's antics. Laurent also needs to publish the financial reports of his GRECT foundation which is in the red for many years. And so on…

 

[*Mara*]

Next to him was Mrs Christine Defraigne , President of the Senate. She should not have allowed this interview in the Parlement House.

Defraigne tried to stop him, but he didn't listen to her. She was clearly embarrased by the situation, not the least because he insulted her too with his rant against the politicans.

 

[melina premiere]

There are questions on the finances of the associations but it is as in other parlements, there are questions but the finances are not bad.

He did not insulted her, he was only angry against the politicians and he was right. The politicians are not better than the prince, the people of Belgium pay a lot for them.

 

[*Mara*]

There are questions on the finances of the associations but it is as in other parlements, there are questions but the finances are not bad.

We agree to disagree then.

He did not insulted her, he was only angry against the politicians and he was right. The politicians are not better than the prince, the people of Belgium pay a lot for them.

She is a poltican, the president of the senate even and he insulted politicans as a whole. So yes, he insulted her too. And its not the first time he does this. Last year he called politicans crétins for ex.

 

[maria-olivia]

Very bad attitude for our Monarchy. A gift for the anti-Royals.

 

[Marengo]

Oh dear, he surely is a gift that just keeps on giving.

His financial conumdrums are indeed well reported. Nothing has been proven though IIRC.

Didn't he recently sue the Libyan state for money his company invested in a forest programme under Ghadaffi?

I believe that the prince needs to get approval from the government when meeting foreign government leaders after he went to the Congo unannounced in 2011 and met with Kabila.

 

[maria-olivia]

Marengo , yes the Prince needs an approval of our Governnment. He knows it. But this evening I saw of top of the news (RTL) his interview in a Corridor of the Parlement next to the President of the Senate
He used bad words for some Politicians and for his own family.
the Late Prime Minister Jean Luc De Haene should have refused the Dotations King Albert II asked for Princess Astrid and Prince Laurent.

 

[*Mara*]

Dehaene and Verhofstade were responsible for implementing the dotations, but the main mistake was not theirs. It was one of Albert's biggest mistakes to demand the dotations and make sure they were granted at a time (2000/01) when Philippe was already married and about to start a family. And so much misery and pain could have been avoided if Albert and Paola had been there for their children, had taken care of them and their education...

 

[maria-olivia]

Always well informed Mara, but the late Prime Minister De Haene said he did a mistake. He should have refused the King's demand.

 

[maria-olivia]

HRH Prince Laurent has to explain his attitude to The Prime Minister Charles Michel and Minister of Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders.
Speech of the Prime Minister to day at the Parliament.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

That is the right way. Request an audience with the Prince and talk with him. When Prince Laurent has the feeling Premier Minister Michel is taking him an sérieux indeed, maybe he will ease a bit.

 

[maria-olivia]

Duc , with Laurents "humeurs" he cannot work officially ike your Princes the late Prince Friso and Prince Constantijn.

 

[eya]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...-after-hitting-out-at-politicians-bugging-him

"Belgian Prince under fire after hitting out at politicians 'bugging' him"

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Duc , with Laurents "humeurs" he cannot work officially ike your Princes the late Prince Friso and Prince Constantijn.

Prince Friso and Prince Constantijn never received a single centime from the State and pursued an independent career, away from the Royal House. From the very beginning it was clear they did not aim for a royal role at all.

Princess Astrid and Prince Laurent are from a different generation. This arrangement was made. I think the Prince has some point when he claims that some politicians and media only ridicule him, while he indeed has tried to do his best for animal welfare and sustainable energy.

Of course he has made mistakes. His eccentric behaviour easily distracted public opinion. I have the feeling that it would help when the Premier Ministre would speak like this: "Monseigneur, I am your friend. I am not here to punish you. I only want to help and to encourage you." Then Laurent realizes he indeed has someone at the Wetstraat/Rue de la Loi he can rely on. I have the feeling the whole behaviour from the Prince finds its origin in not be taken au sérieux. That can really hurt someone.

 

[tommy100]

He seems to be the only one who believes this. He is constantly whining he hasn't enough money and a few years ago he claimed that Astrid can afford to lose the dotation but he can't. He needs the dotation and he knows it.

It has nothing to do with Astrid being collatoral damage of Laurent's behaviour. I think it's not desirable to fund members of the RF other than the king, the queen, the CP and retired monarchs.

I agree with only financing the King, Queen and CP and maybe even the retired monarchs but I don't think it fair to take away the donation from Astrid and Laurent based on that. They have had a donation for many many years and now to take it away from them for essentially PR reasons is unfair. However, the new rules imposed do exactly that, in future only the sovereigns and CP will be funded.

However, with Laurent I feel something needs to be done. HE consistently gets into all sorts of problems and breaks the rules but time and time again takes the attitude that there is nothing anyone can do about it. Well maybe the Government or the King need to start fining him - you go meet another country's leader without permission, thats 10,000 Euro from your donation. Maybe then he will learn.

 

[duke of poliganc]

doesn't he have a staff or assistants that would have sent the request on his behalf for the prime minister ?!

 

[iceflower]

.

Prince Laurent attended the award ceremony of the Henri LA FONTAINE 2016 Prize for Humanism at the Parliament of the Federation Wallonie-Bruxelles in Brussels yesterday, December 9:


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 **

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

doesn't he have a staff or assistants that would have sent the request on his behalf for the prime minister ?!

The Prince has a staff at Villa Clémentine. His staff came in the news a few years ago because the Prince seems to be a diffficult employer for his (foreign) staff. He seems to be demanding and diffficult in paying extra hours, reason for a continue stream of new (foreign) staff at Villa Clémentine.

Source: 'Prins Laurent bedreigt zijn personeel' - De Standaard

Besides this the Prince has professional assistence at the Fondation Prince Laurent and at the KINT (the Royal Institute for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources and the Promotion of Clean Technology). We may assume that the Royal Household also works for the Prince.

 

[Katrianna]

That's not surprising to read Laurent is difficult to work for. If his dotation were to be stopped, then what sort of actions would he take to earn/raise money for he and his family? That could end up being more major embarrassments for the Govt. and the King. However, I've read his biography on the Royal website and his educational qualifications are impressive enough that he could have easily made his way in a career field or continued a military career for a while before joining the private sector.
I don't know or have an answer, but there comes a point when one can only go so far in blaming his/her parents for how a life is lived and events that happen during that time. Laurent went against govt. protocols with the Congo and Sri Lanka events and has to face consequences as we all do when we do the same. I give him credit and respect his choices in working for animal welfare and sustainable energy and he should be given recognition for it. As for his outburst and rogue behavior, time will tell and I hope something can work out for him.

 

[maria-olivia]

The word enm.... he pronounced before the camera nobody in Belgian says that in public !

 

[Alisa]

It seems like the royal house and the government are in a damned if they do, damned if they don't situation. If they continue to provide Laurent with a dotation he is going to continue to embarass them, whine, and complain about his lot in life.
If they do not provide a dotation, the possibilities of him getting involved in shady businesses are endless and quite frankly scary.
I believe Laurent is "rotten at the root". His lackadaisical, self-entitlement attitude towards life started very early in his childhood and it is nearly impossible to change this late in life. ?

 

[maria-olivia]

New Royal Problem :
Prince Laurent and Prince Amadeo want to have Stuyvenberg Castle as Residence !