Belgian King receives 7 requests for aid daily, grants nearly €119,000 in financial donations

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium approved 476 financial donations totalling 118,879 euros in 2024, the royal palace has confirmed. On average, the royal couple received seven requests for financial aid per day, amounting to 2,582 appeals over the year.

The Royal Palace’s Petitions and Social Affairs Service processed all the requests, along with approximately 60,000 other inquiries. These ranged from requests for information from schools to applications for royal favours, such as granting the title “royal” to associations, and congratulations for milestone events, including weddings and centenarian birthdays.

Among the inquiries, 13,263 were appeals for help. Of these, nearly 2,600 sought financial assistance, while others asked for intervention in social or administrative matters.

The funds for financial aid come from Queen Mathilde’s aid fund, which also supports social projects. In 2024, the fund allocated 106,361 euros to initiatives targeting vulnerable young adults aged 18 to 25. This group includes orphans, youth in care homes or foster families, and those from challenging family situations, many of whom face significant hardships upon reaching adulthood.

^{Queen Mathilde and King Philippe of Belgium © BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND}