The Belgian parliament on Friday decided to cut the allowance of Prince Laurent, the brother of King Philippe, for having appeared in uniform at a Chinese embassy reception without receiving the necessary government authorization.
In a secret vote held shortly after midnight, the assembly voted 93-23 for the reduction, which will see Laurent's allowance cut by 15 percent for one year.
That pay cut amounts to €46,000 ($56,670).
The controversy dates back to July, when Laurent attended a reception at Beijing's embassy in Brussels without having sought the permission needed from the government for him to appear in an official capacity. Twitter photos he later posted showed him and others ceremonially cutting a cake.
Read more: Belgium seeks caps on public financing for royal family
Letter plea
Shortly before the vote, the parliamentary president read a letter to the parliament in which the prince complained that he was being subjected to "harassment."
The prince wrote that the allowance in question was paid to him in return for spending his life under a number of restrictions.
He said that he had "not been able to work as I wanted, or to start projects that would have allowed my independence."
"[The allowance] ... is the price of a life, the price of my life, which is largely behind me now," Laurent, 54, wrote.
He also complained that he was still being made to pay for having "chosen a wife that I love, without title or fortune" and that he and his family had no access to social security.
Laurent, who has been called the "Rebel Prince" by Belgian media, has drawn attention to himself a number of times for taking unsanctioned diplomatic trips and having contact with Libyan officials under the regime of Moammar Gadhafi.
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Crowning a new king in Belgium
King and queen
National Day, sunshine and accession to the throne. The new royal couple stands on the palace balcony as crowds cheer below. King Phillippe of Belgium is the new head of state. He stands with his wife, Mathilde, as he embarks on his biggest challenge as monarch - creating unity within the country.
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Crowning a new king in Belgium
Sea of black, yellow and red
But first, it's time to party. On Sunday, people were celebrating in Brussels, Belgium's capital. The country used to be part of France and the Netherlands for a long time. Belgium didn’t become independent until 1830. The 53-year-old Philippe is the young nation's seventh king.
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Crowning a new king in Belgium
The big moment
It’s official: Phillippe swears to abide by the country’s constitution in the Belgian parliament. Shortly before, his father, Albert II, with trembling hands signed the paperwork making his abdication official. The announcement of his abdication was made in early July, with age and health concerns the reasons given for the 79-year-old stepping down.
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Crowning a new king in Belgium
Not as much pomp compared to other royal festivities
The ceremony in Belgium was pompous, glamorous and expensive, but compared to other royal dynasties celebrations was rather down-to-earth. European royals weren't invited. The Belgian king doesn’t even have a scepter or a crown - everything is a bit more laid back here.
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Crowning a new king in Belgium
Royal family in 2013
The new royal couple has four kids. The 11-year-old Princess Elisabeth is set to take over the throne from her father at some point. Albert II is pictured on the right with his wife Paola. On the left there is Queen Fabiola, the widow of the fifth Belgian King Baudouin, Albert's brother, who died without having children. Albert took over as King after Baudouin died.
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Crowning a new king in Belgium
Royal family in 1993
Twenty years ago, the family was pictured on the balcony of the royal palace as well. Albert II (center) is shown here with his son Philippe. Back then, he was just 33 years old. Albert II had to fight to get Belgians to approve of him. He didn’t seem enough of a statesman to them compared to his brother Baudouin.
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Crowning a new king in Belgium
Albert - a man about town
Albert was known for having a passion for fast cars. He used to cultivate a snobbish lifestyle and was considered a bon vivant. In this picture he's shown as a young man visiting the zoo taking a picture of a hippo's mouth. The humorous, jovial Albert first had to learn how to develop a sense of responsibility for his country, his biographers said.
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Crowning a new king in Belgium
Father and son
Albert's and Philippe's characters differ quite a lot: The new king has been described as shy, serious and a bit clumsy. Just like his father he will have to fight for respect. Even though the Belgian king holds little power, he's crucial in mediating talks between political parties.
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Crowning a new king in Belgium
Fighter pilot and environmental activist
Philippe is a trained fighter pilot of the Belgian armed forces, went to Oxford University and Stanford graduate school. He is also an environmental activist and long-distance runner. His interests are literature and sports.
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Crowning a new king in Belgium
Family man with a strong wife
Philippe and his wife make a good team. Mathilde is considered self-confident and glamorous. During this family trip in 2010, the royal couple gets up close with the people. Now, they have been tasked with great responsibilities - to unite a Belgium that's been divided in two parts - the Flemings and Walloons.
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Crowning a new king in Belgium
Conflict between Flemings and Walloons
Dutch-speaking Flemings in the North and French-Speaking Walloons in the South: These two groups have been in competition which each other for years - that's portrayed here with these bilingual signs that have been besmeared. There's also a small German-speaking minority in Belgium's east. Belgium's slogan is: "Strength through unity."
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Crowning a new king in Belgium
Mediator in crises
The conflict between Flemings and Walloons is also reflected in Belgian politics. After the elections in 2010, it took the country 541 days to form a new government. That was a new record high. Back then, thousands of people took to the streets. King Albert II worked as a mediator between the two political blocs.
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Crowning a new king in Belgium
Important tasks ahead
King Philippe - here at the military parade on the day of his coronation - has yet to face this test. In about ten months, Belgium will hold parliamentary elections that usually make for unstable majorities. That's when Belgians are bound to see whether Philippe can keep up with the tasks just like Albert.
Author: Klaus Jansen / jlw, sst
