King’s ‘lesson in humility’

King Albert of Belgium has told 600 dignitaries that recent scandals involving his family have given him “a lesson in humility”.

During a royal reception yesterday for political, economic and cultural leaders, the king acknowledged that the Belgian monarchy had not kept to the standards he expected.

He said: “As the chief of my royal family, I will not hide from you that recent family events have hurt me and given me a lesson in humility.”

Last week, Queen Fabiola, King Albert’s sister-in-law, was forced to scrap an inheritance foundation that was widely criticised as a tax dodge.