▁could ▁be ▁illegal . ▁ ▁Media ▁reports ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁suggested ▁that ▁Laurent ▁was ▁no ▁longer ▁welcome ▁at ▁the ▁Royal ▁Palace , ▁possibly ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁cor ruption ▁sc andal . ▁ ▁Again st ▁this , ▁def enders ▁claim ▁that ▁there ▁is ▁some ▁tradition ▁in ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁press ▁and ▁among ▁polit icians ▁to ▁focus ▁on ▁short com ings ▁among ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁Royal ▁Family . ▁For ▁example , ▁King ▁Philippe ▁has ▁been ▁purs ued ▁for ▁what ▁may ▁be ▁no ▁more ▁than ▁lack ▁of ▁de xter ity ▁among ▁some ▁of ▁his ▁advis ers ; ▁and ▁L ilian , ▁Princess ▁of ▁Ré thy ▁( 1 9 1 6 – 2 0 0 2 ) ▁had ▁in ▁her ▁younger ▁days ▁been ▁purs ued ▁by ▁some ▁deput ies ▁who ▁turned ▁parliament ary ▁sessions ▁into ▁deb ates ▁about ▁her ▁neck lines . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁the ▁prince ▁visited ▁the ▁former ▁Belg ian ▁col ony ▁of ▁the ▁Congo ▁without ▁receiving ▁the ▁required ▁permission ; ▁the ▁reported ▁purpose ▁of ▁the ▁visit ▁was ▁to ▁promote ▁aw aren ess ▁of ▁def or est ation . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁on ▁ 9 ▁April ▁he ▁accepted ▁conditions ▁laid ▁down ▁by ▁Belg ian ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Y ves ▁Let erme ▁regarding ▁his ▁future ▁activities ; ▁had ▁he ▁not ▁done ▁so , ▁the ▁matter ▁of ▁his ▁annual ▁app an age ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁in ▁question . ▁ ▁Health ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁Prince ▁Laurent ▁was ▁hospital