The Belgian prince’s attempt to assert social security benefits in addition to his six-figure royal allowance was rejected by the court.
Prince Laurent – King Philip’s younger brother – received 388,000 euros (£295,850, $376,000) from state funds last year, but said his work gives him and his family social security.
He claimed to be partially self-employed as he has been running animal welfare charities for the past decade due to the obligations he carries out as a royal family.
Laurent, 61, said he acts from “principles” rather than money. The court disagreed.
“When immigrants come here, he registers, he [social security]”He told Belgian broadcaster RTBF.
“I might be an immigrant too, but that family is the one who founded the nation.”
However, on Monday, a Brussels court declined Laurent’s request, citing that the prince was deemed to be neither self-employed nor an employee.
However, broadcaster VTM said the judge recognized that the prince should actually have pension rights, but the law gap made it impossible and called for an amendment to the law.
His lawyer, Olivier Likert, argued for its symbolism, not based on “whims,” but rather the symbolism, telling the Belgian newspaper Le Sauir that Social Security is “granted to all residents” by Belgian law by the wealthiest to the wealthiest.
Rijckaert also said that most of the prince’s allowances are spent on his assistant’s salary and various travel expenses.
This means that while Laurent still has around 5,000 euros (£4,300; $5,500) a month, there are no Social Security benefits, including the right to charge some medical expenses.
The British-born wife Claire Coombs and the prince, who has three adult children, have expressed concern about the well-being of his family, as royal allowances will be reduced when he dies.
Laurent took legal action against the Belgian state after his Social Security application was rejected. The first hearing took place in November 2024.
According to the RTBF, the prince and his lawyers have not yet decided whether to appeal the court’s decision.
Laurentm, 15th in the Belgian line of succession, is not a person used to controversy, but is sometimes called Belgian Prince Modit – the “cursed prince.”
In 2018, the Belgian Bundestagy Congress voted to dock monthly allowances in full naval uniforms for a year after attending a reception at the Chinese Embassy without government permission.
He has also won several speeding fines and has been criticized for attending a meeting in Libya when the late Muammar Gaddafi was still in power.
