Report into cost of the royals kept secret for privacy reasons

A report into the cost of the royal family drawn up by external accountants is to be kept secret, the state information service has confirmed.


RTL news reported earlier it had tried to access the report using freedom of information legislation but had been refused.
The state information service says the privacy of the queen, princes and princesses will be compromised by publication. The report looks at the cost of running the royal household and whether expenses claims made by the royals have been made according to the rules.
Travel costs
In the past, there was an outcry after it emerged private travel costs for members of the royal household were paid by the taxpayer. That benefit has since been reduced to the queen, crown prince Willem-Alexander and princess Maxima and will be phased out altogether by 2015.
There was also anger when it was confirmed the defence ministry paid the cost of running the royal yacht De Groene Draeck.
Research by Belgian professor Herman Matthijs earlier this year said the Dutch royal family has overtaken that of Britain to become the most expensive in western Europe.
In total, queen Beatrix and her children cost the Netherlands €39.4m, including €18m in personal costs, RTL news quotes Matthijs as saying. That does not include the cost of security.
Is the queen’s privacy more important than the public’s right to know? Have your say using the comment box below.

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