Dutch royals should stick to ceremonial role, says Omtzigt

The Dutch royal family would be better focusing on their ceremonial roles, rather than being involved in more political issues such as the childcare benefit scandal, NSC leader Pieter Omtzigt has told news magazine EW in an interview.

Either members of the royal family limit themselves to their own, mainly ceremonial jobs, or an “exception is made to the rule that the prime minister is responsible for the actions of the royal household in appropriate cases,” Omtzigt told the magazine.

In the Netherlands, the prime minister is accountable for the actions of members of the royal household and has a weekly meeting with the king on government policy.

The NSC founder was responding to comments made by queen Máxima about the advantages and disadvantages of the digital euro, and the role of princess Laurentien’s foundation in distributing compensation to childcare benefit scandal victims.

“If it transpires that the budget for using the Laurentien method is overspent, then prime minister Dick Schoof is responsible,” Omtzigt said. This means Schoof would, in effect, be responsible for something he has no control over.

“It is high time we ensure that members of the royal house no longer do things besides their actual, ceremonial work,” he said. “For queen Máxima, this is even more sensitive than for princess Laurentien, who is somewhat further from the throne.”

Former prime minister Mark Rutte, Omtzigt said, was too lax in his dealings with the royals. Schoof told the Volkskrant that he did not which to react to Omzigt’s comments.