Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife Princess Máxima have decided to sell their Mozambique holiday home as soon as it is finished.

In a letter to Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende the couple write they have grown weary of the controversy surrounding the project. They say the time and energy it costs is better spent on other things, especially in times of crisis. Dutch political parties have welcomed the announcement.

The royal couple had joined a project to build luxury vacation villas on Mozambique's Machangulo peninsula. In their letter they emphasise they remain convinced the project will benefit the local population. As an example, they mention the large number of extra facilities being built as part of the project. As soon as it was revealed, in 2007, the project drew widespread criticism. Questions were raised regarding the role of property developers. Critics also cast doubt on the extent to which local residents would benefit.

Royal holiday villa on Mozambican coast (NOS screenshot)