Belgian PM suffers hearing loss after princess fires starting pistol

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel was forced to seek medical treatement after Princess Astrid fired a starter's pistol signaling the start of a 20K road race in Brussels.

Prime Minister Michel was standing too close to Princess Astrid at one of the routine ceremonial appearances during a show up at a 20K race, wave to the crowd and cheer as the runners bolt from a starting line and dash through the streets of Brussels.

Michel has been suffering hearing loss since a starter pistol, signaling the beginning of the race, was fired near his left ear, CNN quoted the Prime Minister's spokesman, Barend Leyts, as saying.

Michel, 41, is following a series of treatments for the injury and is still coming to work between doctor appointments, Leyts said.

The Prime Minister had to cancel a meeting at Parliament on Tuesday morning, but his schedule has not been cleared and his office is going about things as normally as possible, Leyts said.