Once the absolute ruler of Nepal, in recent months Gyanendra has been reduced to a shadow hovering over a power struggle between the Nepali government he ironically revived under huge public pressure for the return of democracy, and the Maoist rebels who have come in from the cold to join the new regime and ultimately depose him।
Yesterday he was at the centre of a further row as Nepal's former Maoist rebels accused the government of misleading the public by creating a secret fund for him। Unveiling his 2007-2008 budget on Thursday, Mahat allocated no funds to the royal family. But later he admitted $385,000 (£189,000) had been set aside for the king under an account in the Prime Minister's office. The palace received $3.1m in the previous tax year.
Meanwhile Gyanendra hides away in one of his palaces, surrounded by his astrologers, counting his money and working out how to escape। His helicopter's engines are always whirring on the lawn, says constitutional lawyer Bhimarjun Acharya.
According to insiders the Gyanendra expects to lose his palaces but not his business interests, and leave Nepal soon with his family.
