An unconventional Belgian prince has lost a legal battle to claim social security benefits on top of his royal allowance, with a court ruling his claim - the first of its kind in the country's nearly 200-year history - "unfounded".
The 61-year-old Prince Laurent, youngest of three children of the former king and queen, had insisted that his work entitled him to the coverage granted to independent entrepreneurs - and that he was acting out of "principle" rather than for money.
However a Brussels court found that his duties were more akin to those in the civil service, where categories of workers receive specific benefits but there is no overarching social security system.
A lawyer for the prince, Olivier Rijckaert, said his client was considering whether to appeal.
"We're not where we wanted to be, but the judgement is very detailed, very reasoned, I understand the reasoning," Mr Rijckaert said.
Prince Laurent has a long list of antics that have embarrassed others in the royal family, including likening his relatives to East Germany's Stasi secret police in 2015.
In 2018, his annual state allowance was cut by 15% because he met foreign dignitaries without the federal government's approval.
It was not his first faux pas, but the punishment was unprecedented.
Prince Laurent, who received €388,000 last year from state coffers and lives in his home rent-free, maintained he was not motivated by money.
"This is not about financial means but principle," he told Belgian broadcaster RTBF.
"When a migrant comes here, he registers, he has a right to it. I may be a migrant too, but one whose family established the state in place," he added.
He pointed to medical costs and his concerns over his family's financial well-being, since the royal allowance will be cut when he dies.
The prince has had an animal welfare foundation offering free veterinary care in clinics for the past ten years.
He said the foundation work, alongside dozens of visits representing Belgium and participation on several boards, meant he has a busy schedule.
The prince did not take legal action on a "whim", Mr Rijckaert said in an article in Le Soir newspaper.
Social security is "a right granted by Belgian law to every resident, from the poorest to the biggest billionaire", he said.
Laurent receives a salary worth 25% of his allowance, since the rest covers professional expenses including travel and wages for a staff member.
This comes to a monthly net wage for the prince of €5,000, which is comparable to the "average salary of a senior executive in Belgium" but without the usual "full social security coverage", Mr Rijckaert said.
Prince Laurent and his British wife, Claire, have three children now in their twenties.
Without this coverage, Prince Laurent cannot claim reimbursement for certain medical expenses, or sick pay if he is unable to work.
