While we try to cover the more extended royal houses in Europe, we rarely talk about Luxembourg, which exists as a land-locked “grand duchy” bordering Germany, France and Belgium. The “monarch” of Luxembourg is actually called the “Grand Duke” (because it’s a duchy). Currently, Grand Duke Henri is in charge. But probably not for long. Just this week, Grand Duke Henri was hosted in Brussels by the Belgian king and queen, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde. Around the same time, Henri gave an interview in which he indicated that he would likely abdicate at some point in the near future.
Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, the small European nation’s head of state, says he plans to abdicate the country’s throne—but won’t say when. The Grand Duke said it was “obvious” that he “intends to retire at some point” in a Tuesday interview with French publication La Libre, saying that he made the decision in consultation with his family, including his eldest son and heir apparent, the Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume.
“All this is planned in family consultation” he told La Libre. “I find that it is very important to give young people a perspective.”
The Grand Duke said he plans to happily hand the throne over to Guillaume when the time eventually comes.
“There are plans, it will happen,” he said. When he was asked if he had picked a date for the abdication he said, “yes, but I won’t tell you that!”
Grand Duke Henri has been ruling the tiny, land-locked country since 2000, when his own father abdicated his seat. On Tuesday he celebrated his 69th birthday during a state visit to Belgium, a country headed by his first cousin King Phillipe.
“I am a happy man. But I could not choose my destiny,” the leader said. Henri is just the latest European royal to consider abdication—the most high profile being Denmark’s Queen Margrethe, who decided late last year to give up her own country’s throne and hand the reins over to her son, Crown Prince Frederik.
Over the past two years, I’ve wondered about how Europe’s other royal houses view the Windsors and their (at times) cracked-out shenanigans. I think there was so much respect, across the board, for Queen Elizabeth II among all royal houses. But nowadays, it feels like the other European royals sort of look down their noses at the desperate situation in the House of Windsor. I guess my point is that the other royal houses seem to have no issue with regularly abdicating and taking real time to prepare the heir to take over. While Luxembourg might not seem as “grand” as all of those English palaces and castles, Grand Duke Henri sounds more modern and forward-thinking than QEII, Charles and William put together.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- King Philippe, Filip of Belgium and Queen Mathilde of Belgium with Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg during a visit to the City Hall in Brussels, on the first day of the state visit by de Luxembourg Royals to Belgium. Featuring: King Philippe, Filip of Belgium, Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg Where: Brussels, Belgium When: 16 Apr 2024 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
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- Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg during the State Banquet at the Laken Castle in Laken, on the first day of the state visit by de Luxembourg Royals to Belgium. Featuring: Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg Where: Laken, Belgium When: 16 Apr 2024 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
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- Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg during the State Banquet at the Laken Castle in Laken, on the first day of the state visit by de Luxembourg Royals to Belgium. Featuring: Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg Where: Laken, Belgium When: 16 Apr 2024 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
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- Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg during the State Banquet at the Laken Castle in Laken, on the first day of the state visit by de Luxembourg Royals to Belgium. Featuring: Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg Where: Laken, Belgium When: 16 Apr 2024 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
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- King Philippe, Filip of Belgium and Queen Mathilde of Belgium with Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg during the State Banquet at the Laken Castle in Laken, on the first day of the state visit by de Luxembourg Royals to Belgium. Featuring: King Philippe, Filip of Belgium and Queen Mathilde of Belgium with Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg Where: Laken, Belgium When: 16 Apr 2024 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
Hmm, interesting – I dip in and out of the Ducal family but they can be quite messy esp the first marriage of Prince Louis where he married young and then had a very messy divorce.
Don’t know much about the CP, Prince Guillaume.
And Louis also had a second engagement which was called off before the marriage took place.
Guillaume married a Belgian aristocrat, Stephanie de Lannoy, in 2012. They seem happy, but there were a lot of raised eyebrows when they didn’t have children for the first eight years of marriage. They finally became parents in May 2020, and had a second child last year.
It’s funny how something like a monarchy (or a duchy) can turn a fairly ordinary decision like waiting a while to have kids into a potential crisis. My husband I were married six years before we had kids, but then again we’re not heads of state.
Louis is messy, but his parents supported him and Tessie and the kids—they are modern and know not everything is perfect all the time.
Let’s maybe not speculate about other people’s fertility issues—they seem very happy to have a child now.
They are so messy! I loved everything about the Tessy/Louis drama! And don’t forget how the Grand Duchess is also famously bad with staff–didn’t get get caught in a bullying report a few years back?
I think they saw how leaving the younger generation in an eternal holding pattern caused a lot of damage. Also, that people lost the sense that each monarch will do things a bit differently, because they are not the same person.
The late Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, father of the current grand duke, was in the same age group as Elizabeth and Philip. When he was photographed on family occasions in his later years, you could see that age hadn’t been kind, but he was comfortable and relaxed. I thought of that often when we saw photos of Elizabeth at work in her final years.
Henri’s wife is allegedly very messy. She, allegedly, is not very nice to staff. Henri’s eldest son and his wife work very hard and seem like a dependable couple.
From what I’ve heard, there used to be a lot of concern that Stéphanie was workshy, but all that’s gone away since she had Charles (and later François). Now that she’s finally had her heir and spare, I can totally understand her not wanting to be out and about during those years when everybody’s thoughts were going to be “why the hell hasn’t she gotten pregnant yet?”
Guillaume and Stephanie are very involved in local initiatives. They are out and about a lot esp.him. She has several patronages in connection with art and seems to be a „hands-on mom“. She is „noble“ but seems rather down to earth as does he. She seems to me as the „mumsy“ but friendly type. Nothing bling about her apart from official state visits.
The grand-ducal family is respected as they represent stability and are a symbol of national unity. They are in fact extremely rich but are clever enough to appear quite humble and no-fuss. The Grand-Duchess is an advocate for women‘s rights and Even though she might have a temper and a strong character, I know several women to whom she reached out in person to help because they were in a desperate Situation.
I imagine that QEII might have considered abdicating if she thought Charles would be a good king.
In modern world, there’s no need for monarchies.
💯!
🎯
Lol his wife got into trouble for her racial abuse of the staff. Plus all these heirs and their spouse as same as will and kate. Prince guill and stephenie are workshy as well. Proper heirs turn king are will of nether land and felipe of spain . Rest of the heirs and king are lazy and idiots.
“I could not choose my destiny.” THIS is why I will FOREVER AND ALWAYS feel more fortunate than all the monarchs of the world put together. I could never envy pre-Meghan Harry, or Charles or William for anything they may or may not have. Because a 24-carat gold cage is still a cage and I’m happy to be free to decide my own life and find my own fortune. Good for Henri – he might be planning on doing it as a 70th birthday present to himself!
The European monarchs really saw the Brits as a case of what not to do. I find it hilarious that the British royals who have always been quite snobby towards their Europeans cousins are now an older uncool and more inbred version on the Monaco royals. All of the drama with none of the style.
The military garb is weird on royals. Do these people actually serve?
Both Grand Duke Henri and his heir Guillaume have attended Sandhurst and are officers in the Luxembourg army. Guillaume has also attended a postgraduate training at the Royal College of Defence Studies in London. King Philippe was educated at the Belgian Royal Military Academy from 1978 and 1981.
Maybe he needs more time to devote to his second career as a David Bowie impersonator? (Seriously, that’s quite the resemblance!)
Came here to say the same thing a the resemblance to Bowie is uncanny!
I just kept scrolling until I found this comments. that thumbnail picture? I had to look a it twice!
So glad I am not alone in seeing the Bowie resemblance!!
I thought that was Luxembourg’s David Bowie for a second there.
The Windsors are fast becoming the trashy relatives of European royalty–could they take the place of Monaco as Europe’s most embarrassing royals?
Forgive me but some of you can miss me with your allusions to the allegations of “bullying” by the Grand Duchess Maria Teresa. I’m old enough to remember when they got married, I was living in Europe at the time. And, when the Grand Duke married this beautiful, intelligent, commoner that is . . . . Cuban, the continent was shook. It was as shocking to racists then as Meghan’s marriage to Harry was decades later. I vividly remember the tabloids basically making up crap about Maria’s “background.”. Sadly, Maria did not just experience prejudiced amongst the populace but in the Grand Duke’s family as well. Famously, her own mother-in-law treated her terribly and was very nasty to her. Notwithstanding, she and her husband stuck together and seemed to be very much in love, something which really grated at a lot of people. Then, around the same time or a little after Meghan was accused of being a “bully” and “difficult” Maria gets accused of the same thing by staff. Something which needed to be “investigated.”.
Maybe the accusations are true. Maybe they are not. But I do think it very interesting that Palace staffers in both Luxembourg and the UK levied bullying claims around the same time at two non-lily-white married-in Royals who both seem pretty, smart, hard-working and straightforward, and very much loved by their husbands. Coincidence? I think not.
Very interesting context. Thank you.
Thank you for this comment. When the rumours first began circulating (and they pop up every so often in certain circles), I recall how snide and racist some of those same people used to be and still are about the Grand Duchess. I have long suspected that they hated that she stood her ground in the face of their disrespectful behaviour towards her and they resented the fact that she was in a position far superior to theirs and that they were expected to take orders/instructions from someone they considered to be beneath them. Shades of BP and KP and the UK media indeed. So they are shook that she stands her ground or is assertive about what she wants them to do and won’t abide awful behaviour from staff? They can quit and go kick rocks.
The fact that her husband clearly adores her is something else that rankles with that lot. Too bad, so sad.
@magdalena, 🎯; @mario, yes, context is very important – something that the racist royalists seem to forget when discussing, and trying to rewrite the history of, the Sussexes and Sussexit.
This is sound management. He took the throne in 2000, and I suspect he will abdicate in 2025 so he will be on the throne for 25 years. I don’t know how old his son it, but getting the younger royals on the throne could actually keep the Monarchy ‘fresh’. Certainly, it won’t look like an aging Monarchy and may appeal to younger people.
This is what QE2 should have done. Of course, she might not have wanted to watch what would happen to the Monarchy–she had a point.
Guillaume was born in 1981.Henry’s father abdicated, and unless I remember wrong his grandmother did too, so it’s a natural decision for them.
If there’s any truth in the adage that you can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep, then Prince Félix’s choice of wife – AFAIK the first royal to gain a PhD – speaks volumes.
https://monarchie.lu/en/grand-ducal-family/ttrrhh-prince-felix-and-princess-claire/hrh-princess-claire#education-and-work
The couple originally met at high school. How refreshing to read about a royal wife who spent a 10-year courtship pursuing gainful employment, as opposed to loafing around waiting for her boyfriend to propose, eh?
We need to change the inheritance laws that favor males.
…and abolish monarchy.