Belgian royals and their scandals over the years

In the past few generations, the royal family of Belgium embarrassed itself a few times. Whether it concerns tax evasion, inappropriate remarks, illegitimate children, or refusing to sign a law, it has all happened in the Belgian palace.

In 1990, King Baudouin requested temporary relief from his duties as head of state. A new law, permitting abortions, was about to be signed and he refused to do it. He didn't want to go along with a law that the Belgian parliament was supporting.

To get around the king, the government let him resign, confirmed the law, and restored the king as monarch the next day during an extraordinary session. This way, a 123-year-old abortion ban in Belgium came to an end. It also constituted a unique moment in history where a king resigned and then was rehired two days later.

The marriage of King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola remained childless, but Fabiola had many Spanish cousins. To arrange the inheritance more smoothly, she founded the Fons Pereos Foundation, officially intended for charity.

In 2013, according to the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, it turned out that the foundation mainly served to ensure that her Spanish relatives paid fewer taxes on their inheritance. In response to the revelation, the Queen's annual allowance was drastically reduced.

Prince Laurent, the younger brother of King Philippe, walks his own path. According to various Dutch media, including RTL Nieuws, he is known as the enfant terrible of the Belgians. The prince was considered a nuisance at the 2023 Belgian Day military parade when he paid more attention to his smartphone than to the marching soldiers.

Another awkward incident was his visit to the Chinese embassy on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Chinese army in 2017. This may seem innocent, but he did not have permission from the Prime Minister to go there. The result was a reduction in his annual allowance.

In his public appearances over the years, Prince Laurent has often made unfortunate statements. For example, during a visit with his wife Claire to a house owned by 'Renovassitance', an organization that renovates homes for people with financial problems, he said something he shouldn't have.

According to the Belgian newspaper Metrotime, the prince suddenly became fascinated by the dreadlocks of a journalist of color. He asked him: "Do you also smoke w e e d? Because Rasta people use that a lot, don't they?"

Photo: Caftos/Unsplash

Finally, there's Laurent's father Albert who had a child outside marriage and thought no one would notice. But his hidden daughter Delphine Boël turned out to be an assertive young woman who wouldn't stay silent. She forced her father to take a DNA test and proved that she was indeed the king's daughter.

She didn't want any money, Delphine said, just recognition of the paternity. She and King Philippe, her brother, are now in touch regularly. And, on a side note, her art business is flourishing more than ever too!

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