Proposed apanage for 2011

Norway's annual state budget for the year 2011 was unveiled today. Included in the proposal is NOK 179.384.000 in grants to the Royal House, the Royal Court and the staff of the Crown Prince couple, which is 2.6 % more compared with the 2010 budget.

The proposed grants mentioned above include NOK 9,3 millions in apanage to Their Majesties The King and Queen, 146,1 millions to the Royal Court, 7,77 millions in apanage to the Crown Prince couple and just above 16 millions to their staff.

The apanage (civil list) for the king and queen is meant to cover personal expenses, including expenses connected to various official engagements and expenses to the management and maintenance (upkeep) of their private properties. The grants to the Royal Court is meant to cover the costs of official engagements, the management of the court (including salaries), infrastructure and minor maintenance projects. The grants also cover costs of running interior maintenance and development of the state-owned royal properties - the Royal Palace, Bygdø Royal Farm (the main building including annex and park) and Oscarshall.

The apanage for the Crown Prince and Crown Princess is meant to cover their personal expenses, including costs of management and maintenance of their private-owned properties. The grants to the staff is obviously meant to cover expenses to the staff at the Royal Palace and the Skaugum estate as well as expenses connected to the Crown Prince couple's official engagements.

In addition to this the Government has proposed to grant NOK 25 millions for restoration works on the roof of the Royal Palace. The restoration will start in the first half of 2011 and will when finished have cost appr. NOK 112,6 millions. It is expected that the work will be finished at the end of 2012.

In addition to the grants mentioned above the budget of the Foreign Office includes the expenses the royl house has to official trips abroad (proposed to NOK 8.590.000), while the Ministry of Defence covers the costs of the aides-de-camp (NOK 3.971.000) as well as the management and maintenance of the royal yacht (NOK 30,7 millions). The expenses of police security is not disclosed.

Sources and references

• Ministry of Government Administration, Reform and Church affairs. Press release 5 October 2010
• Prop. 1 S (2010-2011). Annual state budget (Ministry of Government Administration, Reform and Church Affairs), pp. 23-24