The king of the Netherlands could soon lose almost half of his yearly salary, as the country’s parliament considers new legislation that would tax the royal family’s income.
According to the Dutch constitution, King Willem-Alexander and his family don’t have to pay taxes on the yearly allowance they receive for carrying out their royal duties. They are also exempt from taxes on their inheritance and their personal assets in some circumstances.
But this week, MPs from the D66, SP, and PvdD parties submitted a motion that would see the tax exemption on the monarchy’s allowance revoked. The motion received the two-thirds support it needed to pass in both chambers of the Dutch parliament.
“It is important that the king pays income tax as well,” D66 MP Joost Sneller told local media. “Teachers and police officers do so, and everyone contributes to public services.”
Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who previously opposed taxing the royal family’s salaries, also voiced his support for the proposal.
“I would not be against that at all, but it is extremely complex,” he said on Thursday.
The Netherlands has a progressive income tax system. The tax rate for earners over €75,518 is 49.5 percent. As the king currently receives approximately €1.1 million annually for performing his royal duties, he would owe around €500,000.
A similar motion was submitted last year and received a simple majority but fell short of the required two-thirds support. Following last November’s general election, the parties that have previously supported making the king pay income tax now control 112 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives and at least 50 out of 75 in the Senate, according to the NL Times.
Queen Máxima receives an allowance of €431,000 while Princess Amalia, who will one day ascend the throne, is eligible for €300,000 — but waived the allowance in 2021. The total cost of funding the Dutch royal family was budgeted at €55 million in 2024, an increase of 11 percent since 2023.
