New evidence on Royals' secret tax deal, despite PM's denials

On Wednesday Prime Minsiter Mark Rutte wrote to parliament stating that no evidence was found to suggest that the Dutch government compensates the Royal family for the taxes they pay. A few hours later RTL Niuews published more evidence that such a deal indeed exists.

Earlier this month RTL reported that a deal was made with the Royal family in the 1970's. Basilcally it said that the Royal family now has to pay certain taxes, but will be given extra allowance to compensate for it, according to RTL.

On Wednesday Prime Minsiter Rutte ent two notes from the 70's to parliament. One note from March 18th, 1970 and one from March 23rd of that same year. These notes hold no conclusive evidence that such a deal exists. The Prime Minsiter added that more investigation is necessary. 

But RTL has many more documents in its posession which prove that there is a compensation deal in place, according to the broadcaster. These documents show that Prime Minsiter Piet de Jong and Finance Minsiter Witteveen signed the agreement on April 28th, 1970. The agreement states that the King will receive an extra 150,000 guilders. The major reason for this was because the Royal family can hence forth make no claim in other compensations due to changes in the "tax sphere". 

According to the broadcaster, these agreements eventualy led to a system implemented in 1973. That system states tat all royal costs will be paid by the state. In exchange the Royals will start paying certain taxes they previously did not. 

The documents alsos state that the head of state will receive a "source of income" to "compensate the negative effects of the abolition of the tax exemption". And that "simltaneously with the ablition of the tax exemption an adequate arrangement must be made for the financial position of the Crown." 

According to RTL, this basically mean that although the queen had to start paying tax on private assets in 1973, she was comopensated for it. This scheme is still in place today with King Willem-Alexander benefiting from it. 

Prime Minister Mark Rutte will have to explain these findings of RTL, and why he could not find it in the National Archives, to the Tweede Kamer - the lower house of Dutch parliament - in a debate later today.