Prince pays for drinks again, 33 years after palace pays beer mat bill

Prince Willem-Alexander has continued a royal tradition and paid for a round of drinks in a Limburg bar, after a cheeky request from local cafe-goer Foppe ten Broek.

Ten Broek bought a round of drinks at his local bar in Sevenum when queen Beatrix announced her abdication. As they drank to the queen, he told the other patrons about a friend who had bought a round when Beatrix was inaugurated as queen 33 years ago.

After toasting the new queen, the friend wrote a bill on the back of a beer mat and sent it to the royal household, asking for it to be paid. It was.

Ten Broek decided to do the same, and wrote to Willem-Alexander including his bar bill of €97.20 and reminding the prince about the bill of 33 years ago. To his suprise, he received a letter from the prince’s private secretary saying ‘as a one-off, his royal highness is prepared to refund you the money’.

The letter also stated the original beer mat is still kept in the royal archives.

Read the correspondence

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