King Albert II: Freeze Royal Family Grants

In a statement released by the Belgian Royal Court on Monday, HM King Albert II has stated that he will accept a freeze on the royal family’s grants from the government for 2012 and 2013, as the nation tries to cope with the current economic climate in the European Union.

“The 2012 budget on grants to members of the royal family should be frozen, and should therefore include any indexation mechanism for the year 2012,” the statement said, in reference to the 3% increase in the King’s Civil List expected in 2012, as outlined in the Belgian Constitution. A similar freeze on grants in 2013 would also be accepted by the royal family.

The King however did say that if the indexation was to be given by the government, he would use that money for any renovations and repairs required by Belgian royal palaces, so that the government’s Buildings Agency would not have to provide more money to cover those costs.

King Albert and the royal family receive €10.8 million a year from the Belgian government for their official duties. The indexation would increase this amount by approximately €350,000.

Filed under Belgium
Tagged Albert II of Belgium, Finances, Government.

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