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Danish MPs appear ready to limit the number of Queen Margrethe’s grandchildren eligible to receive a public payment.
Queen Margrethe has two sons, crown Prince Frederik (born 1968) and Prince Joachim (born 1969). Joachim is sixth in the line of succession to the Danish throne, following his elder brother and Frederik’s four children. Joachim also has four children.
“Simple mathematics dictate that there needs to be some sort of limit. Otherwise within a few generations there will be several hundred princes and princesses who need an annual salary. Anyone can see that that won’t fly,” Jakob Elleman-Jensen, a spokesman for ruling party Venstre, told Politiken.
The MPs are discussing about reforming the annual apanage given to the royal family which today totals over €13.5 million. From 1849 to 1995, the criteria for the public support of the royal family were stricter as only heirs to the throne, their spouses and widows were supported by the Danish taxpayers. However, when Prince Joachim married his now ex-wife Alexandra, the rules changed and Joachim’s family also became eligible for support.
Now, the left-wing parties the Red-Green Alliance (Enhedslisten), the Socialist People’s Party and the Liberal Alliance Party want a return to the old rules so that only the elder son and eldest child of Crown Prince Frederik, Prince Christian would be eligible to receive support.
Tax spokesman for the Liberal Alliance party, Ole Birk Olesen told to British daily, The Independent: “I’d rather go back to the old system, so that only the Crown Prince Frederik’s first-born, who are entitled to annuities. Government finances should only have the task of supporting one of his children, who will inherit the throne after him.” On the other hand, the Conservative suggest that all of Prince Frederik’s children should get the money while Prince Joachim’s four children should not.
A consensus in the Parliament has not been reached, but according to an opinion poll conducted by Megafon for TV2, seven out of ten Danes said Prince Joachim’s four children should not receive an annual apanage. Moreover, the citizens of Denmark believe that Joachim’s ex-wife, Countess Alexandra should not receive public support, which stands at €310,000 annually.
The post Denmark ready to limit public payments to royal grandkids appeared first on New Europe.