Nepal's government will withdraw hundreds of King Gyanendra's aides including cooks, waiters, clerks and the queen's beauticians from the palace, a minister said on Thursday.
The decision is a further blow to King Gyanendra, who has largely been confined to his palace since 2006 when he bowed to weeks of pro-democracy protests and handed power back to political parties a year after he sacked the government.
Some 774 staff have been removed and includes servants used to pluck flowers for prayers conducted by the king and his family members, Queen Komal's hairdressers and palace photographers apart from clerks, secretaries and accountants.
After the king relinquished power, Nepal's new multi-party government moved swiftly to strip him of most of his powers including control over the powerful army.
He has also been told to pay taxes. "All those who are above the retirement age of 58 years, but are still working in the palace, will be compulsorily retired," Junior Minister for General Administration Dharmanath Prasad Shah said after a cabinet meeting. Others, he said, will be asked to report to the government.
The government also plans to nationalise property accumulated by King Gyanendra since he ascended the throne in 2001, Shah said. Since the king gave up power, there has been a groundswell of demand for abolishing the monarchy and turning Nepal into a republic.