A PRINCESS'S CLAIM

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 155, 29 December 1911, Page 7

A PRINCESS'S CLAIM

WILL OF THE LATH KTXO LEOPOLD. COXGO PROFITS. ' London, November 18. There has been considerable wrangling in Belgium over the late King Leopold's will. When the King died in December. lOOfl, it was discovered that only, £OOO,OOO hud been bequeathed to hi's three daughters, the Princesses Louise, Stephanie, and Clementine. "This is the fortune I received from my father," Leopold 11, wrote, "and I am happy to be able, despite great difficulties, to leave this fortune intact for my children." The reading of this strange will provoked amazement in Belgium, as it was an open secret that, apart from his private property, the late King had mode millions out of his Congo undertakings. It was asked what had become of the remaining portion of his enormous wealth. Enquiries showed that one part of the royal fortune, £1,200,000, had been given by Leopold 11. to Baroness Vaughan, his morganatic wife, and had at the time of the King's demise been deposited in safety in French and English banks, and that the other part, which experts estimated at £2,000,000, had been handed by "him to a concern which he purposely established, known ae the "Foundation of Niedcrfullbach." The King, instead of handing over these profits of the Congo Free State to Belgium with its assets and liabilities, had concealed them under the form of a private investment.

There was a storm of protest, followed by an action by the Government, claiming all the King's estates on the ground that they belonged to the Congo, and consequently should revert to the State. Princess Louise was dissatisfied, and claimed the estate, valued at £2/100,000. in the name of King Leopold's children. The Princess declared that the King was on very bad terms with his daughters, and wished to deprive them of as much of his inheritance as he could. There was a council of the royal family held in Brussels last year, when King Albert, to avoid a scandal which would reflect on the memory of his predecessor, solemnly renounced, on behalf of himself and his children, any personal claim on King Leopold's estate. This did not satisfy the Princess, who brought an action against the Belgian State for the recovery of two millions sterling. She claimed that the money had been improperly invested by her father in a fund known as the Niederfullbach Foundation for the purpose of disinheriting lur and her sisters. The Belgian Government's case was that the millions belonged to the Congo Free State, and that they were, therefore, the property of the Government, which took over the colony three years ago. The courts have decided in favor of the Government. It was held, however, that £OO,OOO given by the King to the Nrederfullbach Foundation four days before his death should be divided between the two Princesses, Louise and Stephanie, their sister (Princess Clementine) having compromised with the Government before the suit was fought, and received £120,000. Princess Louise will have to pay a large portion of the costs.