Dutch Queen Beatrix spent more than 24 million euros last year for the use of the palaces, cars, horses, vehicles and payment of palace staff, according to the annual report from the Queen's House which was presented to the Dutch Parliament Wednesday.The Dutch state spent a total of 83.7 million euros on the royal house in 2006, about 30 million euros more than the previous year. The increase is due partly to higher costs for security and maintenance of the palaces.
Beatrix, her son Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife Princess Maxima received an allowance of almost 5.7 million euros in 2006, 3.9 million of which went to the queen.
Willem-Alexander received 957,000 euros and Maxima 845,000 euros. The allowance exceeded the budgeted amount by 145,000 euros, the audit chamber concluded.
The audit chamber also wrote that Beatrix did not devote enough attention to providing information on the expenses last year.
