DutchNews.nl - Dutch royals no longer billionaires

Dutch royals no longer billionaires

Wednesday 04 November 2009

The Dutch royal family's worth has shrunk by 20% because of the credit crisis, taking the Oranjes below billionaire status, according to the latest edition of the Quote 500 rich list.

The family's wealth is now put at €800m, putting them in 25th place on the list, the Telegraaf reports on Wednesday.

And, the paper says, this is the first time the queen's press office has officially commented on Quote calculations. 'Every downward revision brings the estimate closer to the reality,' the paper quoted the RVD as saying.

The only royal family member to have commented on the Quote listings is prince Bernhard, who sent a fax to US business magazine Forbes in 2003 stating that the family's assets amounted to €213m.

Spending cuts

The Dutch royal family is set to get €40m from the government next year, excluding security costs. Some 90% of the population think the queen should accept a pay cut.

The financial crisis has hit the Netherlands' 500 richest families and individuals, the survey shows.

Their combined assets have shrunk in value by €18bn, or 12%. While 108 of the people on the list have managed to boost their assets, 317 are now worth less than they were last year, the Telegraaf says.

The full list will published on Thursday, according to the Quote website.

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Readers' comments

Don't believe it...this is a ploy for pity of the "poor" royal family.Boo Hoo
Watch that €40m go up next year out of our taxes.

By AW | November 4, 2009 8:10 AM

Poor royals.. we should have a fundraiser and help them out huh?

By Laura | November 4, 2009 8:45 AM

This is a very encouraging and inspiring story for those who have lost their jobs, lost their homes, lost their savings and are fighting for survival during this time of crisis.

By Jakc | November 4, 2009 11:13 AM

Yes right , maybe out of my 1500 euro months i should given it to them to so they can rise to be billionaires again poor Royal

By kinso | November 4, 2009 11:42 AM

So they get 40m Euros. How much they pay in rent, or mortgage? How much it costs for them to dress up in designers outfits? Who pays for their transportation?
Travels for free for sure... the older i get the less i think how cute is queen and princes and princesses, and more think, wtf is their contribution to the world.

By Jon | November 4, 2009 12:29 PM

there's a lot of bitterness in people out there and people's own woes shouldnt be taken into account when looking at payment for the royal household. any payment to the royals has to be done with a business head, looking at what benefits both economical and other the royal family brings to the netherlands.

By hlm | November 4, 2009 12:38 PM

I have an idea:: What if the entire Royal Family get a job?? That could solve lots of problems. Let them all live on meager wages like the rest of us!!

By howard de barfield | November 4, 2009 3:30 PM

I'm always confused when I hear statements like "any payment to the royals has to be done with a business head, looking at what benefits both economical and other the royal family brings to the netherlands." Outside of The Netherlands, and maybe Belgium, nobody even knows who the Dutch royals are. What possible economic benefit do they bring in? Inside NL, they only benefit the media that take pictures of them that silly people buy. Let the media pay for them!

By Quest | November 4, 2009 5:58 PM

let them eat cake the queen said and we all know what happened next !!!
It' sad but true , those who do not learn from history are bound to repeat it .
Wise words and they were spoken 2000 years ago by a Roman general .
Here endeth the lesson , take heed !!!!

By ausie Leon | November 4, 2009 6:32 PM

Oh what a bloody shame, my dear Royal family u r no longer on the B list, I feel pity for you. well €40m for 2010 is better than nothing, be good! use it wisely, make sure u build a few more hoilday homes !!! love

By royal fan | November 4, 2009 9:56 PM

Well established hierarchies are not easily uprooted;
Closely held beliefs are not easily released;
So ritual enthralls generation after generation.

Harmony does not care for harmony, and so is naturally attained;
But ritual is intent upon harmony, and so can not attain it.

Harmony neither acts nor reasons;
Love acts, but without reason;
Justice acts to serve reason;
But ritual acts to enforce reason.

When the Way is lost, there remains harmony;
When harmony is lost, there remains love;
When love is lost, there remains justice;
But when justice is lost, there remains ritual.

Ritual is the end of compassion and honesty,
The beginning of confusion;
Belief is a colourful hope or fear,
The beginning of folly.

- excerpt from the Tao De Ching by Lao Tze

By Sasha | November 5, 2009 8:08 AM

If I may request and suggest every body who is concerned about Netherlands and the people, "please lets discuss and debate the real issues in our country which needs to be addressed and those are:
1.Increasing Poverty within our society

2.Farewell to the moral values welcoming the negative approaches

3. Deep routed corruption at different levels

4.The participation of the Dutch Armed Forces in Afghanistan

5.Increasing opposition against the Development Aid

6.Unemployment

7.Intolerant behaviour in different fields

8. Above all lack of Solidarity among us as Dutch Nationals

We should hope and struggle to see a changing role of our future king.A King of the Netherlands who will be participating in the war against poverty,injustices along with the elected representatives.

By Khalid Ahmed Chaudry | November 5, 2009 2:06 PM

"Outside of The Netherlands, and maybe Belgium, nobody even knows who the Dutch royals are."
What a load of rubbish! The Dutch royal family are very well known outside the Netherlands and the main reason I and my friends go there on holiday is because of Queen Beatrix and her family. The Dutch people are very lucky to have such a wonderful, careing and very human lady as their their Queen. The British royals are so out of touch with their people that it is little wonder that when Queen Beatrix visited Scotland more people turned up to see her than Queen Elizabeth.

By Louise | November 5, 2009 2:56 PM

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