Every country has its nutbag

The prime minister [of Belgium], Charles Michel, called a meeting with Prince Laurent, younger sibling to King Philippe, in response to his unauthorised appearance in full naval uniform at a Chinese state celebration of the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Red Army.

Laurent sent a sick note to excuse himself from the meeting about the incident, the latest in a series of unapproved events with foreign dignitaries.

But in a seven-page letter handed to the Belgian prime minister by the prince’s lawyer, Laurent, 53, went on the attack, claiming the government’s attempts to limit his meetings with the representatives of foreign states amounted to a breach of article 8 of the European convention on human rights as it would force him into “social isolation”.

The published letter goes on to suggest that the government’s announcement of action against the prince before he has had a chance to defend himself is illegal.

“It goes without saying that the court of human rights would make short work of such violations of the right to a fair trial,” the lawyer writes.

Laurent’s lawyer insists that “in humiliating ways” the prince has been stopped all his life from getting a job, in a manner damaging to his “image and, dare I add, his health”.

  Guardian

What could possibly damage this image?

Wrote himself a sick note.

The letter adds that the questioning of the prince’s endowment in the media has caused “great uncertainty for the prince and his family, contrary to fundamental rights”, and the state should now offer some “social security or pension rights”.

Laurent’s camp said that rather than cut his endowment by up to 15% as suggested – which would in effect “deprive him and his family of all livelihoods” – the royal could in future commit to giving the government 10 days’ notice of any intended meetings with foreign officials.

LOL.

Gee, poor fellow. They want to cut his endowment and prevented him from getting a job. As for the cut, what's 15% of $378,000? Tough to live on.

Apparently the royal family are given an endowment because...

“In this traditional view, a prince was not allowed to work (it would testify to ‘a desire for money’, a reproach that some people dare to repeat today, which is the world upside down!),” the lawyer writes.

Honestly, I don't think that would be what's stopping him from getting a job.

A breach of article 8? Force him into "social isolation" if he can't meet with foreign officials? Will no one in all of Belgium meet with him? Oh, right. Maybe not.

His appearance at the Chinese embassy in Brussels to celebrate the founding of the People’s Liberation Army might have gone unnoticed had he not tweeted a picture of himself attending the ceremony.

Are we sure Fred Trump didn't visit Belgium in early '63, and that's a family trait? Or maybe this is just what happens when those royals breed. I'm surprised a nutbag hasn't shown up in England's branch in recent years.

They're all German, you know. As is Trump. Just sayin'.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.