ROYAL NEWS: FEBRUARY 2003

Last updated: March 2nd, 2003.

February 1st

In the morning Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands visited Oude Tonge where she attended the rememberance service for the 1835 people who died during the floods in the south-west of the Netherlands in the night of January 31st to February 1st, 1953. Afterwards she visited the cemetery of victims of the floods where she laid a wreath together with Prime Minister Balkenende. In the afternoon the queen visited Ouwerkerk where she spoke with people who survived the disaster and relatives of the deceased for more than one hour.

Emperor Akihito returned to the University of Tokyo Hospital yesterday evening after spending the night at his residence in the Imperial Palace. He was temporarily released from hospital on Thursday afternoon, when he arrived at the palace by car with Empress Michiko who had been staying with him at the hospital since he was admitted on January 16. According to the Imperial Household Agency the Emperor is recovering steadily. He is taking meals as normal and has begun to take walks in the corridors of the hospital. The emperor's temporary return home was recommended by his doctor as a part of his recuperation.

February 2nd
Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah of Brunei Darussalam has announced the first stage divorce "Talak Satu" upon his second wife Pengiran Isteri Hajah Mariam binti Haji Abdul Aziz. A royal announcement was made by Prince Sufri Bolkiah and broadcasted on the national television and radio last night. "By the command of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the council of Adat Istiadat of Brunei Darussalam announced that His Majesty with the guidance of Syara' Laws pertaining to marriage and divorce that is in relations to wed with good intention - Ma'aruf - and to divorce with good intention - Ihsan - as stated in part of verse 229 of the Surah Al-Baqarah of the Holy Quran. On this Sunday, the 30th of Zulkaedah 1423, corresponding to the 2nd of February 2003, His Majesty announced that the first stage divorce - Talak Satu - upon His Majesty's second wife, HRH Pengiran Isteri Hajah Mariam binti Haji Abdul Aziz. In this regard, by the command of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, with effect from the date, titles conferred by His Majesty to His Majesty's former wife are now withdrawn." Under sharia law the Sultan can change his mind within 100 days.

February 4th
The Belgian royal court announced that on April 12 the civil wedding of Prince Laurent and Claire Coombs will take place at 10:00am at the townhall of Brussels and that the religious wedding will take place the same day at 11:00am at the Cathedral of the Saints Michel and Gudule. After the marriage a lunch will take place at the royal palace at 1:30pm. At the occasion of the wedding a concert, followed by a reception, will be organised on Friday 11 April at 19:30 at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels.

February 5th
Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and her husband Ari Behn have announced that they will move to Manhattan, New York, this autumn. They don't know yet how long they will stay there and say they will just see how things go. Family will all be invited to visit and long return trips to Norway for summer holidays and Christmas celebrations are also planned. The couple is hoping for a quiet, anonymous life in the urban crowds. They started thinking about moving to New York after visiting Manhattan during their honeymoon. Their new address is not yet been decided. Furthermore the couple has decided that the child they expect in May will have the family name Behn, since as Princess Märtha Louise says "I don't have a surname."

February 7th
Intimate letters between the late Duchess of Windsor and the Irish Edward FitzGerald 7th Duke of Leinster have been stolen from a car parked outside the house of the Duke's son Adrian FitzGerald in Trevarrian, Great Britain. Mr FitzGerald said the stolen photocopied letters and diary entries showed a close friendship between the Duchess and the Duke of Leinster. "The car was full of expensive power tools, but they ignored those," said FitzGerald. "They took only my writing case, containing all my personal documents and also some rather sensitive papers used for research for my book concerning my father and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. This had all the appearance of a robbery to order, but I have no idea by whom."

February 8th
Prince Alexander von und zu Liechtenstein, son of Prince Philipp Erasmus - a brother of Prince Hans Adam II - and his wife Isabelle, married Astrid Kohl, daughter of a industrialist from Italy, at the Franziskaner Church, richly decorated with flowers, in a snowy Salzburg, Austria. The wedding was supposed to take place at 16:00, but because of the snow the choir was too late, so the ceremony started one hour later. Afterwards dinner took place at the Prince-Archiepiscopal residence. Among the 300 guests from all over Europe were Archduke Karl and Archduchess Francesca of Austria, the Duke and Duchess of Württemberg, Prince Alexandre and Princess Barbara of Yugoslavia, the Duke of Vendôme, the Aga Khan and the Begum Inaara, as well as Countess Celia von Bismarck. Already on Thursday the bridal soirée had been held at the Leopoldskron Castle, on Friday followed by a pre-wedding party at Stiegl's Brauwelt in Salzburg. More pictures.

Emperor Akihito of Japan was released from hospital today. Accompanied by Empress Michiko he left hospital around 4pm in the afternoon. The Emperor will recuperate for the time being and refrain from any public duties for about a month, the Imperial Household Agency said. The Emperor was initially scheduled to stay in the hospital for about one month, but doctors recommended an early release because the Emperor has made a steady recovery. Upon his return to the Imperial Palace the Emperor released a statement expressing gratitude to everyone who had wished him well. The Emperor will have regular checkups, including blood tests, to ensure the cancer does not recur.

In the lawsuit against Prince Ernst August von Hannover because of bodily harm and insulting, his lawyer now proposes an agreement outside court. The prince seems to be willing to withdraw his revision against the first sentence, in case the fine will be lowered and the Public Prosecutor also withdraws its appeal. In December 2001 the prince was sentenced to an eight-month custody and a fine of 255.646 euro for beating a disco-owner up in Kenia and insulting journalists. Both Prince Ernst August and the Public Prosecutor had appealed against the sentence.

February 10th
The fashion collection of the late Princess Lilian of Belgium, which included some of the greatest names in haute couture from Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Jacques Fath to Givenchy and Balenciaga, is to be sold in a sale entitled 'Fit For A Princess' on Monday, May 19, 2003 at Sotheby's, Olympia in West London. The collection features exquisite items capturing the distinctive styles of the early 50s, groovy 60s and classic 70s and contains more than 200 pairs of shoes, 100 hats, 400 pairs of gloves, riding habits and boots in every colour and fabric, handbags by Hermès, pairs of silk stockings in original wrappers and handkerchiefs. The collection, which is estimated to realise in excess of £200,000 is being offered for sale by Princess Lilian's family. Also some 60 pieces of jewellery from Princess Lilian's collection will be sold. Highlights include a gold and enamel bracelet by Schlumberger, a gold chain as well as a pair of gold and diamond earclips by Cartier. In September, Sotheby's Amsterdam will offer paintings, fine silver, furniture and works of art from Château d'Argenteuil, where Princess Lilian lived for many years.

Paul Hohenzollern, son of Carol Hohenzollern, whom a Romanian court recently recognized as the first legitimate son of King Carol II of Romania, on 7 February submitted claims for property restitution, including the Peles Castle in Sinaia. Mr Hohenzollern, who submitted the claims as representative of his ill father in London, says Carol Hohenzollern is entitled to 62% of all claims for property restitution submitted by former King Michael I of Romania because, in addition to half of the properties that belonged to Carol II, he is also the testamentary inheritor of Carol II's last wife, Elena Lupescu, and of Carol II's brother, Prince Nicolae.

February 11th
A rare collection of personal gifts and letters sent by the late Diana Princess of Wales to one Stg Ronald Lewis, a member of staff at St James's Palace for many years, will be auctioned in Cambridge on March 19. Huge interest is expected in the sale, which could fetch as much as £20,000. The 80 seperate lots include Christmas cards, thank-you letters, signed photographs and gifts. Stg Lewis died in 2001 and his widow has decided to sell the collection. The last time a collection of similar royal artefacts was sold was around five years ago in Norfolk, but it was auctioned as one lot.

February 12th
An interview with Princess Margarita de Bourbon de Parme and her husband Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn in the Dutch magazine HP/De Tijd and the German magazine Stern has caused a row in The Netherlands. In the interview the princess, daughter of the Duke of Parme and Princess Irene of the Netherlands, and her husband attack her family and the royal family of the Netherlands. They say it is an effort to end a string of negative media reports about them and to tell people what really happened. They say that the family has tried to destroy their relationship, because they didn't like Edwin. The couple tells about Margarita's youth, her parent's divorce in 1981, their first meeting in 1998 and the start of their relationship in 1999, the first meeting of Edwin with Margarita's parents which went pretty well and their engagement at the end of 1999. Early in 2000 the problems with Margarita's family started with a cross-examination of Edwin by her parents, followed in May 2000 by a meeting with the Duke of Parme. The Duke told that he had heard some things from the past of Edwin that he wanted to talk about, as Edwin had lied about it to the family. Edwin should have been without work for years, shouldn’t have been graduated at all, and he should have brought his family in financial problems. Finally the Duke wanted an explanation of the story that Edwin should have had an homosexual relationship and possibly was infected with the HIV-virus. Edwin told the Duke that those stories weren't true and afterwards it became clear to him that the Duke must have seen his Social Service file, which wasn't even at the disposal of Edwin himself. At parties after this meeting it was made them clear in a hardly subtle way that Edwin wasn’t a very welcome guest. It is also reported that shortly after the religious wedding in September 2001 the princess and her husband turned to prime minister Wim Kok of the Netherlands for help, but he didn't want to interfere in a family matter. In Stern Margarita also revealed a family secret by telling that her father has an illegitimate son with a Dominican housekeeper, Xavier, born in the early 1980s. The interview in HP/De Tijd is the first in a serie, so more statements will follow in the coming weeks. The royal family of the Netherlands issued a statement in which they regret the articles and say they don't recognise the portrait of them painted in it. Out of love for Princess Margarita the family restricts itself to this reaction.

February 13th
Princess Mathilde of Belgium expects her second child in the beginning of September. The princess and her husband Prince Philippe already have a one-year-old daughter, Elisabeth. The announcement said that the whole family is very happy. Meanwhile Prince Philippe's sister Astrid, who is 6 months pregnant with her fifth child, was admitted to hospital last week. During a medical check up she has decided, in consultation with her doctor, to stop her public activities to avoid becoming too tired and allow a normal course of her pregnancy.

An Orthodox service, attended by diplomats from Romania and Portugal, was held in a Roman Catholic cathedral in Lisbon, Portugal, for King Carol II of Romania. Pretender to the throne, Paul Hohenzollern, grandson of King Carol II, who didn't receive an invitation, was spotted outside the cathedral. The coffins of the king and his third wife Elena Lupescu, his draped with the Romanian monarchist flag, were afterwards flown on a military plane to Bucharest, Romania, where they will be reburied tomorrow. At a brief airport ceremony to receive the body of the king back Prime Minister Adrian Nastase of Romania said: "This moment is significant for us because it is another sign of our reconciliation with ourselves and with our past." The ceremony in which the national guard carried the coffin and played the national anthem was broadcasted live on television. In Bucharest the royal family of Romania was represented by Princess Margarita and her husband Prince Radu of Hohenzollern-Veringen. Former King Michael, Carol II's son by Princess Helena of Greece, had approved the repatriation of the remains, but did not attend the ceremony today, nor will he attend tomorrow's ceremony. Prince Radu held a short speech on his behalf at the ceremony this evening, saying: "The events which we are witnessing today are a credit to our own national traditions. The man who was our head of state for ten years, a Romanian who died at the other end of our continent, in exile, is finally returning home. We should leave it to historians to debate the achievements of King Carol II and the disputes will, no doubt, continue. You would accept that, for the Romanian Royal Family, today represents both a national and personal event. All HRH The Princess Margarita and I can say on behalf of the entire Royal Family is that we salute the efforts of the Government in accomplishing this Christian and patriotic act. We are also grateful to the Government and people of Portugal, that Latin sister of ours, which has provided a home to King Carol for decades. This is not simply a ceremony of reburial, but a reconciliation with the past, a powerful act of historic justice. The troubled heart of Carol II is now returning to where it belongs: among the other kings of this country, his predecessors who have achieved Romania's independence and our Union. The long journey of a king who served this nation has now been completed."

The Socialist Party has asked for an explanation of the role of former Prime Minister Wim Kok in the family quarrel between Princess Margarita de Bourbon de Parme and the royal family of The Netherlands. The SP also wants to know if the Social Service file has come into the hands of third persons in a legal way.

February 14th
King Carol II of Romania was buried today in the royal crypt at the 16th-century cathedral of Curtea de Arges, 50 years after his death in exile in Portugal. Orthodox Bishop Calinic of Arges led a somber 50-minute ceremony with full military honors, supported by priests. Soldiers carried a sepia portrait and his military medals on three red cushions. The royal family of Romania was represented by Princess Margarita and her husband Prince Radu of Hohenzollern-Veringen. Former King Michael sent a wreath of butter-coloured roses that was placed near the coffin. The remains of the king's third wife, Elena Lupescu, were buried at the cemetery and will be marked by a simple marble slab adorned with posies of mauve and yellow freesias.

February 16th
Using a Danish passport former King Constantine of Greece and Queen Anne-Marie as well as crown prince Pavlos and his wife Marie Chantal, princess Alexia with her husband Carlos Morales y Quintana and prince Nikolaos, paid a short visit to Greece. After flying from Milan to Athens yesterday morning they drove to Tatoi Palace to visit the grave of the king's parents, King Pavlos and Queen Frederika, and to attend a short rememberance service for them. In the afternoon the family visited a sailing club in Piraeus, where they had lunch with some Greek friends and visited the museum of the club, where the king showed his children the boat in which he won gold at the Olympic Games in Rome in 1960. Thereafter they enjoyed dinner with friends. At night Pavlos, Marie Chantal and Nikolaos discovered the nightlife in Athens. The family stayed at an hotel near Tatoi palace.

February 19th
The second part of the interview of Princess Margarita de Bourbon de Parme and her husband Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn in HP/De Tijd criticize Queen Beatrix for not supporting them and tell that she also is against their relationship. They also reveal that they wanted to hold a second engagement dinner at her mother's house on December 16th, 2000, and that many members of the family told they would be absent. The real reason didn't become clear to them until they read the day before that Prince Constantijn and Laurentien Brinkhorst would become engaged that day, something that only they didn't know. Interestingly Princess Margarita also tells that Queen Beatrix and the Prince of Orange wouldn't have spoken which each other for months in 1999 because the queen thought the prince's girlfriend Máxima, whom he wanted to marry, wasn't strong enough. Margarita and Edwin say that late in 2000 they were under the impression that their telephone was being bugged and that their mail was opened. Princess Margarita also reveals that Prince Bernhard has had a relationship with his personal assistant Cocky Gilles for many years. In this interview she also says that she has met her halfbrother Javier, son of the Duke of Parme and their Dominican nanny Charro, once, when she was about 18 or 19 and he was about 8 years old.

Handwritten letters of Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, proving that in 1956 the prince had asked the foreign press for help in the Greet Hofmans affair, were discovered at stables in England by the Dutch AVRO television while making a documentary about the prince. At the stables the archive of the late British journalist Sefton Delmer (Daily Express) was kept. In the letters the prince thanks Mr Delmer for the fact that he had made the Greet Hofmans affair publicly known. Healer Greet Hofmans, who had lots of influence at Queen Juliana, had to leave the royal court in 1956 after reports in the foreign press. In another letter from 1960 the prince complains that he is in need for money as the government hadn't increased his allowance over the past two years.

The Countess of Wessex announced yesterday that she is to be patron of eight charities: the Brainwave Centre in Bridgwater, Wessex Heartbeat at Southampton General Hospital's cardiac unit, the Dyslexia Institute, the Healing Foundation, Tomorrow's People, St Mary's School in Bexhill, Vision 2020 and the New Haven Trust in Toronto (Canada). She has chosen organisations specialising in helping people with speech and communications difficulties. The countess has let it be known she wishes to be actively involved in the charities, and not just a figurehead. Although she has carried out some solo engagements after her marriage in 1999, yesterday's announcement confirms a higher profile with her own mantle of charitable causes. It is expected that the countess will take over some of the organisations that have lost a royal patron after the deaths of the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret in 2002, and that more patronages will be announced in the coming weeks.

February 20th
The swayambar of Princess Sheetashma Shah of Nepal, second daughter of the late Dhirendra Shah and the late Princess Prekshya, with Abhinesh Shah was held today at Jeevan Kung. King Gyanendra and Queen Komal, as well as other members of the royal family, were present. The marriage is being solemnized on March 5 and 6.

Princess Katharina zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein, born Countess von Podewils-Dürniz, will lead Sotheby's in Hamburg, Germany, after March 1. The wife of Prince Bernhart zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein started her carreer in London in the 1980s where she worked for an art-shop, led Sotheby's in Prague from 1993 to 1997 and afterwards led the Mucha Museum in Prague.

February 21st
On the occasion of the wedding of Prince Laurent and Claire Coombs a concert will be given by the National Orchestra of Belgium led by Mikko Franck on April 11 at 19:30 at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. The following works are on the programme: 'Vrolijke ouverture' of Marcel Poot, 'Cantus Arcticus' of Einojuhani Rautavaara, fragments of 'Roméo and Juliet' of Sergej Prokofiev and 'L'apprenti-sorcier' of Paul Dukas. At 20:30 the concert will be followed by a reception on which the marrying couple and their families will share their joy with about 1500 guests, among them 220 people representing all the various populations from all provinces of the country. Also the route of the wedding cortege on April 12 was made known. 1. Royal Palace - Townhall: Palace Square, Koningsstraat, Koloniënstraat, Putterij, Europa Kruispunt, Putterij, Infante Isabellastraat, Agoraplein, Grasmarkt, Heuvelstraat, big Market Square; 2. Townhall - St Michiels and St Goedele Cathedral: big Market Square, Heuvelstraat, Grasmarkt, Agoraplein, Infante Isabellastraat, Putterij, Europa Kruispunt, Putterij, Koloniënstraat, Kanselarijstraat, St Goedele forecourt; 3. Cathedral - Royal Palace: St Goedele forecourt, Kanselarijstraat, Koloniënstraat, Koningsstraat, Palace Square.

February 22nd
Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn is preparing a claim against the Dutch state of tens of millions of euros it was said today by a lawyer. Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn was director and shareholder of Fincentives from 2001 to 2002, and sold the company in June 2002 because he found out that his own person seemed to be an obstacle for the continuity of the company. The company, founded in 1999, was successfull until Edwin married princess Margarita de Bourbon de Parme in 2001. The lawyer, Prof Mr W.J. Slagter, says: "If you notice that time after time negotiations go well, but that companies are backing out as soon as the contract can be signed, one can say a boycot is taking place". He further says: "In essence it is about two things. Edwin feels attacked in his sense of honour and wants rehabilitation. Besides that he wants indemnification for all the damage which was done to him personally and to his company." Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn will ask for testimonies and statements of tens of people involved. Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn is said to have lost his whole capital due to the boycott of his business.

During the opening of a new research centre at York University the Duke of Edinburgh made a gaffe. He told onlookers that "It is surprising the way things have changed since I first became chancellor of the university 50 years ago." However the university was only celebrating its 40th anniversary, and the Duke of Edinburgh isn't the chancellor of York University, but of Cambridge University. The Duke is thought to have become confused by his schedule. He was later a guest at a dinner hosted by the Cambridge Society of York.

February 23rd
Prince Carl Philip of Sweden will move from the Drottningholm Palace to his own appartment at Slottsbacken 2 in the centre of Stockholm. Soon the prince will start an education for graphic design at a school in Stockholm.

February 24th
Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde of Belgium arrived in Los Angeles on Thursday. Prince Philippe held a speech at the Area's Chamber of Commerce promoting international trade, while princess Mathilde visited a youth arts programme and a rehabilitation centre. Later they went up north to San Francisco, met the mayor and visited the Golden Gate Bridge.

The Royal House of The Netherlands won't give any further reaction to the Princess Margarita-case. The case has been discussed during a regular discussion at Palace Huis ten Bosch this morning.

The Royal Palace in Oslo opens his doors for the public from June 22 to August 17. This year special attention will be given to the 100th anniversary of the birth of King Olav V with an exhibition at the small and the big feasthall. On the day of his birth, July 2, the palace will be closed.

February 25th
From her holiday address Annemiek Rade, former private secretary of Princess Margarita de Bourbon de Parme, has said that she has never received the order from Mr Felix Rhodius to copy bankcopies of the princess and her husband Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn, as they had stated in an interview to the magazine HP/De Tijd. Meanwhile the newspaper De Volkskrant says that it owns copies of the correspondence between Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn and the Amsterdam Social Service. A journalist of the German magazine Stern has given the number of the file of Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn at the Social Service, although the Social Service last week denied having a file about him. Further Simmons and Simmons Trenité has fired lawyer, Prof Mr W.J. Slagter, immediately, because he has communicated with the media about the case of princess Margarita and her husband.

February 26th
In the third part of the interview of Princess Margarita de Bourbon de Parme and her husband Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn to the Dutch magazine HP/De Tijd some letters of members of the royal family to Margarita are quoted. A note by the Prince of Orange, also seen on a picture, reads: "Dear Margarita. Unfortunately it seems to us that under the present circumstances it is not opportune to invite you for our wedding. Hoping for a better future, I wish you lots of success and wisdom. Love, Alexander". The note makes clear that the couple thus not was invited for the wedding on February 2, 2002, although the media stated that they were not present due to financial problems. Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn says that if in such a television programme it is said that you are almost bankrupt, you are going to become bankrupt. A letter by Queen Beatrix is also quoted in which she says that she finds the accusations of Margarita in her letter pretty paranoid.

According by an inquiry by Bureau Intomart 48% of the Dutch don't believe the stories of Princess Margarita and her husband about their fight with the royal family that were published in the magazine HP/De Tijd. 500 Dutch were asked what they thought about the case before the third part was published. 10% thinks the stories are true, while about 25% have doubts or think the stories might partly be true. A small majority of the people questioned think that the position of the royal house hasn't been damaged by the stories, while 41% thinks the stories have caused damage. 84% however says that their opinion about Queen Beatrix hasn't changed, while 8% thinks more positive about her and 4% more negative.

A fire broke out this afternoon at Meilgaard Castle in Denmark. The fire could be seen from a few kilometres distance. One woman jumped out of a window and was taken to hospital with severe injuries. Meilgaard Castle is owned by Michael Iuel, husband of Princess Désirée zu Schaumburg-Lippe, but the couple doesn't live at the castle.

February 27th
The Duke of Parme has denied ever having seen the Social Service file of his son-in-law Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn nor having had access to the file. He says that it was Edwin himself who told him that a file was existing. He however confirms that he has confronted his future son-in-law with the rumours he heard about the long time unemployment and HIV-status. Meanwhile both Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn and Mr R. Oudkerk, the Amsterdam alderman who is responsible for the Social Service, demands a clarification from the board of the Amsterdam Social Service Office. Mr Eef Brouwers, head of the Government Information Service says that nobody has given an order to investigate Edwin de Roy van Zuydewijn.

Yesterday evening a confused man passed the guards in front of Soestdijk Palace, The Netherlands, in his car with full speed and ended up against the stairs leading to the entrance of the palace. He had already warned the palace in the morning that he would come to make troubles. The man was arrested.

The plans for the permanent memorial to Princess Diana south of the Serpentine in Hyde Park, London, have been approved by Westminster Council. Work on the ring-shaped stone fountain is expected to be finished by summer 2004.

February 28th
As promised Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands has paid the fine of 600 euros of an employee of a supermarket in Amsterdam who was fined for assaulting a supermarket robber after he and a colleague had detained him last August. During the robbery the robber threatened a cashier with a knife and escaped with an amount of cash. Two employees of the supermarket set off in pursuit of the man and overpowered him. After the police had handcuffed the thief, the employee allegedly punched the man in the face.

Seven men arrested in connection with the murder of Prince Mazwi Zulu last month briefly appeared in Eshowe Regional Court. They are facing murder and armed robbery charges. The case has been adjourned to March 20 for a formal bail application.

According to the annual list of the world's billionaires by Forbes magazine Prince Al-Walid Bin Talal Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia appears to be the richest royal in the world, being listed as the fifth richest in the world with investments worth $17.7 billion.


Royal News: January 2003. Last updated: February 1st, 2003.