The royals 'were involved in massive financial irregularities when King Gyanendra was the trust's patron' and in charge of its operations, said Bimal Kumar Baniya, secretary of the National Trust for Nature Conservation.

Mr Baniya, a civil servant, made the allegations on the basis of a report commissioned by the strongly republican Maoist party which has run the trust since ending a deadly civil war in 2006 and joining the government.

The trust to protect Nepal's varied fauna, national parks and snowcapped peaks, including Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain, was set up in 1982 by King Gyanendra's father King Mahendra.

'Our records show four vehicles and several computers worth more than 100,000 dollars have been taken to the king's residence and never returned and are still being used by the royal family,' Mr Baniya told reporters.

Maoist Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Matrika Prasad Yadav is the trust's chairman and other Maoists are on the trust's board of directors.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is the patron.

Another 21,000 dollars was spent on alcohol at palace parties, the official said, adding much more might have been spent over the years as there was no way to track all the expenditure.

There have been numerous other allegations of corruption levelled against the royal family by mainstream political parties as well as by the ex-rebels.

The report comes as the future of the world's last Hindu monarchy looks bleak with Nepal slated to go to the polls on April 10 to elect a body that will formally abolish the monarchy and write a new constitution.

Late last year, the interim parliament approved a decision to scrap the 239-year-old monarchy and declare the country a republic.

Massive protests forced Gyanendra to end a period of dictatorial rule in April 2006 and since then he has kept a low profile and been stripped of most of his powers, including his role as head of state and chief of army staff.

The report also accused the royal family of poor judgement in managing the trust.

In one trip that stirred public outrage, Crown Prince Paras and his wife visited Austria in 2006 and gave a zoo a pair of one-horned rhinos, an endangered species in Nepal. -- AFP