Crown Prince Willem Alexander and his wife Princess Máxima are abandoning their project to build a holiday villa for themselves in Mozambique.
The move follows criticism in parliament and the media about the handling of the affair by Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, who is formally responsible for public actions of the Dutch Royal family. Doubts were raised whether the project would benefit the impoverished local population.
The holiday home that is currently being built as a part of a luxury resort will be sold once it has been completed. Prince Willem-Alexander wrote to Prime Minister Balkenende that he no longer wants the real estate project to be surrounded by adverse publicity.
RNW's Eric Beauchemin visited the site and spoke to local residents
Royal holiday villa on Mozambican coast (NOS screenshot)
Royal holiday villa on Mozambican coast (NOS screenshot)
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