Belgian prince testifies in court amid media frenzy

HASSELT, Belgium, Jan 10 (Reuters) The youngest son of Belgium's King Albert testified as a witness in a fraud trial, creating a media and political frenzy over the first ever court appearance by a Belgian royal.

Prince Laurent told the Hasselt tribunal yesterday in the Dutch-speaking region Flanders that he was unaware of any wrongdoing by his former aide Noel Vaessen, who is charged with involvement in a fraud that cost the Belgian navy 2.2 million euros.

Prosecutors allege some of the funds were diverted through a billing system used to pay for the renovation of the official residence of 43-year-old Laurent, a navy captain.

The prince is 11th in line to the throne and widely depicted as an ''enfant terrible''. He frequently made tabloid headlines for his high-octane lifestyle and love of fast cars.

Children from a neighbouring school shouted ''vive le prince'' as he left court and supporters waved Belgian flags.

Belgian media, which attended the hearing, had called for the prince to be made to testify and several politicians have demanded an inquiry into how he received public money before officially being put on the royal payroll in 2001.

The trial has also put the monarchy in the spotlight and raised questions about public funding of the royal family, seen as one of the last symbols of unity in Belgium.

The opposition Flemish Christian Democrats have called for the state to stop funding the royal family except for the king and his heir, Prince Philippe.

Without referring directly to the case, King Albert said in a televised New Year address that no one was above the law and anyone who benefited from misappropriated cash would have to pay it back.

REUTERS AKJ KP1049