More and more Belgians ask the King for money

A little more than 11,000 Belgians wrote last year to King Albert asking him for money, report De Gazet van Antwerpen and Het Belang van Limburg today. The figure is 10% higher than in 2011. In total, he gave €129,000 last year. 650 people have received a donation of €200; normally only 500 people receive that amount. “These are people who suddenly can’t pay their rent, whose energy bills are too too high or are faced with unexpected school fees for their children,” said Bruno Neve, a palace spokesman. The letters are handled by a dedicated department at the palace, and the money comes from the civil list.