King Charles (Image: Getty Images)
Belgium’s monarchy is the ‘poorest’ in Europe – they cost taxpayers a fraction of the .
The Belgian monarch, King Phillippe is estimated to have a fortune of about £10.3 million.
private fortune is estimated at £1.8billion, reports .
Business Insider analysed the numbers on the remaining monarchies in Europe and determined Belgium’s King has the smallest personal fortune among monarchs.
While Philippe has a far smaller fortune than his distant cousin King Charles, the Belgian royals also benefit from a generous civil list to cover the entire family’s expenses.
For the past decade, Belgium’s Civil List has been set at about £9.5 million.
King Phillippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium hosted a Christmas event at the Royal Palace in Belgium (Image: Getty Images)
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King Philippe of Belgium speaks during a royal visit (Image: Getty Images)
However, the Brussels Times estimates that factoring in other government-covered expenses, the monarchy actually costs Belgians an eye-watering £33.2 million.
The family maintains steady approval ratings in Belgium and the King was recently given a vote of confidence by the country’s Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said last year: “In terms of exceeding expectations, King Philippe has certainly earned a great distinction.
“He and his wife, Queen Mathilde, have definitely modernised the Belgian Monarchy enormously.”
The royal family carry out duties on behalf of the state and do not personally profit from their royal titles.
Philippe has also taken it upon himself to right historical wrongs, including apologising to the Congo for past colonialism and inviting his illegitimate half sibling into the royal fold.
The 63-year-old fortune does not include any royal property – they are held in the State or by The Royal Trust and cannot be sold.
Income from the Crown Estates goes back into the public purse to fund public services like police and hospitals (Image: Getty Images)
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Meanwhile, the family’s primary homes, the Royal Palace of Brussels and the Royal Palace of Laeken are the property of the Belgian State and not owned by the family.
monarchy costs Belgian taxpayers just a fraction of the allowance British taxpayers give the British monarchy each year.
Part of the reason the Windsors receive such a large chunk of public money dates back to an agreement King George III made with the British government in 1760 to give up income from the monarchy’s properties in exchange for a fixed annual payment.
Most of the income the Crown Estate generates now goes back to the public purse to fund public services like police and hospitals.
In 2023, reported that King Charles III has inherited assets that have propelled his wealth to almost £2 billion, according to its research.