Belgian Prince wants to ... become Italian
Prince Laurent of Belgium is considering moving with his wife Claire to Italy, the native country of his mother Paola.
In an interview with the Belgian news medium Sudinfo, he says his plans are shaping up. Laurent wants to fulfil an old dream, including settling in Italy, possibly in Rome or Milan, although he once bought a villa on the island of Panarea. He and his family have strong ties with Italy, where they are often invited.
According to Belgian King Philip's brother, it should be easy to obtain dual Belgian-Italian citizenship, given the Italian ancestry of his mother Paola (87).
If the move goes ahead, Laurent could lose his Belgian endowment, but he does not seem to care much about that. He is still hoping for a €15 million compensation awarded to him by a judge after a failed project in Libya.
(Tagtik/Source: Sudinfo via Nieuwsblad/Illustration picture: DPA picture alliance / Anadolu | Dursun Aydemir)