Public debt has already risen above 40% owing to the decision by official statisticians to include the liabilities of Northern Rock, a mortgage lender nationalised in February (see second chart).

ECONOMIST: Public finances

The Northern Ireland claimant count rate, 7.1%, in February 2013 was the second highest among the 12 UK regions.

BBC: Northern Ireland unemployment highest in 15 years

In February last year her second son, Prince Friso, was struck by an avalanche in Austria and remains in a coma.

BBC: Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands to abdicate for son