Luxarazzi

Grand Ducal Family Members Hold Second Garden Party

noreply@blogger.com (B) — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 00:37:00 +0000

On the 28th, members of the Grand Ducal family were present for the second garden party at Château de Berg. Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, along with Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie, were on hand to welcome and chat with the guests.

Information from the Cour website, as well as a link with a lot more photos.

Guillaume Attends English Touring Opera Performance

noreply@blogger.com (B) — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 00:29:00 +0000

Photo: © Alfonso Salgueiro / Cour grand-ducale

On the 27th, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume attended a performance of "This is my bed," from the English Touring Opera. This is the opera company's sixth time in the Grand Duchy. The performance of "This is my bed" is especially designed as a multi-sensory experience that engages the audience at different levels.

Information and further performance photos available from the Cour website.

First Garden Party at Château de Berg

noreply@blogger.com (B) — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 23:55:00 +0000

On the 26th, Grand Duke Henri, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie welcomed guests to the first of two annual garden parties at Château de Berg.

This particular event saw guests that included the forces vives of the Grand Duchy (or those working in industry, trade, finance, insurance, etc.), in addition to the leaders of trade unions, the heads of professional organizations, those working in charitable organizations, members of institutions of the European Union, members of the Army, members of the Grand Ducal Police, and senior ministerial officials, among others.

Information and more photos from the Cour website and RTL.

Grand Duchess Supports #NotATarget

noreply@blogger.com (Svenja) — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 14:45:00 +0000

Photo: Croix-Rouge luxembourgeoise

Yesterday, the Grand Duchess officially lend her support to the #NotATarget campaign, introduced by the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, last year to protect health workers and volunteers in crisis areas. In pictures shared by both the Red Cross and the cour, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, who is the President of the Luxembourgish branch of the organisation, stands in front of a bullet-riddled ambulance, holding a placard that reads #notatarget. The damaged ambulance will tour the Grand Duchy in the days to come to raise much needed awareness.

Henri and Maria Teresa Celebrate 60th Anniversary of NSPA

noreply@blogger.com (Svenja) — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 14:37:00 +0000

Photo: NSPA / Alain Huberty

Fresh off the National Day celebrations, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa were on hand yesterday to celebrate the 60th anniversary of NSPA, NATO's Support and Procurement Agency, that has been located in Luxembourg for 50 years.

The NSPA's website tells us that "the mission of the NATO Support and Procurement Organisation is to provide responsive, effective and cost-efficient acquisition, including armaments procurement; logistics; operational and systems support and services to the Allies, NATO Military Authorities and partner nations, individually and collectively, in time of peace, crisis and war, in order to maximize the ability and flexibility of their armed forces, contingents, and other relevant organisations, within the guidance provided by the North Atlantic Council, to execute their core missions."

An additional picture is available at the cour.

Henri and Maria Teresa Welcome the Swiss President

noreply@blogger.com (B) — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 17:46:00 +0000

On the 25th, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa received Alain Berset, the President of the Swiss Confederation, for a private lunch. His wife, Muriel Zeender Berset, was also present for the event. President Berset is in the Grand Duchy for a working visit.

Information and photo from the Cour website.

Fashion Focus: National Day Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Heaven) — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 09:31:00 +0000

This edition of Fashion Focus will be a special National Day edition - with a lot to talk about considering the whole family was there- but first, let's talk about some new/old finds.

Georges Rech confirmed that Grand Duchess Maria Teresa wore one of their dresses on June 4th when she and Grand Duke Henri hosted an institutional dinner for the Chamber of Deputies (With thanks to Sarah for the suggestion!) Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie wore a Georges Rech dress to the Te Deum on last year's National Day so it seems the brand is slowly making its way to their closets.

Photo: Cour grand-ducale / Claude Piscitelli

Photo: Georges Rech

A photographer posted this photo of Princess Claire celebrating Princess Amalia's birthday and I recognized Claire's dress immediately. It is the same Zara dress Princess Sibilla wore while visiting an exhibition in Brussels a few months ago!

Photo: Anne Du Chastel

Photo: Zara

Another find for Princess Claire! Earlier this month, she and Prince Félix attended a wedding in Germany and she wore the dress she first wore at Prince Sébastien's Sandhurst graduation ceremony. It turns out this dress is from Ted Baker, one of Princess Claire's favorite brands.

Photo: Bunte

Photo: Cour grand-ducale / Lola Velasco

Photo: Ted Baker

On June 17th, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa attended the ceremony commemorating 75 years of the last deportation train leaving Luxembourg. Maria Teresa wore another Yves Dooms custom-made outfit with her Prada pumps.

Photo: Cour grand-ducale / Claude Piscitelli

Photo: Lyst

On June 20th, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie visited a glass bowing workshop. Stéphanie wore an old UFO blazer with a printed top and her favorite Castaner wedges.

Photo: Cour grand-ducale / Luxpress

Photo: Castaner

Also on June 20th, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa were in Colmar-Berg to view a farmhouse renovation. Maria Teresa wore her Etro pants with a new printed tote bag.

Photo: Cour Grand-Ducale

Photo: Lyst

Now, onto the National Day outfits! Last year, only the Grand Ducal couple and the Hereditary Grand Ducal couple attended which lowered the number of outfits we had to look for. This year - and to our great pleasure- the whole family attended so we have a lot to talk about!

On the day before the National Day, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa visited Larochette. Maria Teresa wore a Prada coat with Yves Dooms pants (confirmed by the Cour), her Sergio Rossi pumps and a Bottega Veneta clutch.

Photo: Guy Wolff / Luxemburger Wort / wort.lu

Photo: Livingly

Photo: Farfetch

Photo: Bottega Veneta

She kept the same outfit for the torchlight parade in the evening except for the shoes as she wore the Prada pumps she first wore during the State Visit from The Netherlands last month.

Photo: Cour grand-ducale / Claude Piscitelli

Photo: Prada

Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie visited Esch-sur-Alzette in the afternoon. Stéphanie wore an old coat that was first worn by Princess Alexandra. As you can see here, the front and the back of the coat have the same design which makes the whole coat very weird in my opinion.

Photo: SIP / Emmanuel Claude

At the torchlight parade, Princess Claire wore an all-black outfit and the lack of good photos makes it very hard to ID her outfit. I believe her trousers might be from Zara but it is impossible to confirm.

Embed from Getty Images

Photo: Zara

Princess Alexandra also wore a black outfit but she added a colorful, printed jacket and nude sandals to break it up. I sadly have no IDs yet for the jacket and the sandals but she wore a Chanel bag.

Embed from Getty Images

Photo: Lyst

For the official ceremony at the Philharmonie, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa decided to recycle an outfit! It is indeed the third time she wore this Armani dress and jacket since 2014. This time, she added an Armani clutch with her Prada pumps.

Photo: Cour grand-ducale / Claude Piscitelli

Photo: Armani

Photo: Lyst

Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie wore a new white dress with a new embellished clutch and her grey Natan pumps. We have spent hours looking for this dress but so far we haven't been able to find it but I think it was a very good choice for Stéphanie!

Photo: Cour grand-ducale / Claude Piscitelli

Photo: Natan

Princess Claire decided to wear the Vilshenko dress she first wore the last time she attended the National Day celebrations in 2016 with new pumps. I believe they could be from Sergio Rossi (picutred below in a different color) but this can't be confirmed without better photos of the shoes.

Photo: Cour grand-ducale / Claude Piscitelli

Photo: ModaOperandi

Photo: Lyst

Princess Alexandra wore a new polka dot dress by Sézane (with thanks to Royal Fashion Blog for the find!) with nude pumps and her gold Dior clutch.

Photo: Cour grand-ducale / Claude Piscitelli

Photo: Sézane

Photo: Dior

For the Te Deum, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa added an Armani fascinator to her outfit and changed clutch and jewels while Princess Claire and Princess Alexandra only added a flower hairpiece to their outfits.

Photo: Cour grand-ducale / Claude Piscitelli

Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie decided to change her outfit completely. She wore a new dress with a green Jimmy Choo bag and old pumps. Her hat is new and it was made by Sylvia Martinez for Les Folies Bibis.

Embed from Getty Images

Photo: Jimmy Choo

Photo: Sylvia Martinez

The most exciting part of the National Day celebrations was the evening gala dinner of course with new gowns for everyone!

Photo: Cour grand-ducale / Claude Piscitelli

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa wore a new navy blue cape gown by Elie Saab with an embellished neckline. I thought both the design and the color were a great choice for the Grand Duchess.

Embed from Getty Images

Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie wore a new gown but sadly we still haven't been able to find it. I'm happy it wasn't a repeat from one of Grand Duchess Maria Teresa's gowns though as I usually don't find these repeats successful.

Embed from Getty Images

Princess Claire looked stunning wearing an off the shoulder white gown by Alexander McQueen. It was great to see her in a gown and a tiara after so long. Let's hope she and Prince Félix will attend next year's National Day celebrations!

Embed from Getty Images

Photo: Farfetch

Princess Alexandra followed her mother's fashion footsteps and wore a colorful Elie Saab gown. I thought this was a very nice choice for Alexandra although I don't like the shawl.

Embed from Getty Images

Photo: ModaOperandi

What did you think of this year's National Day fashion? What is your favorite outfit? Don't hesitate to share your opinions!

National Day Observations and Leftovers

noreply@blogger.com (Svenja) — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 18:52:00 +0000

To end our National Day coverage (sort of, there are still the garden parties which will take place next week to go, plus the Fashion Focus), here some light-hearted observations of the past two days...

Girl sure knows her angles

Photo: Guy Jallay / Luxemburger Wort / Wort.lu

Princess Alexandra sure has a commitment to the perfect picture. During the Official Ceremony she was at it again and once again refused to face the cameras straight instead turning slightly to her right, even if it meant turning her back to little brother Sébastien. Remember the time she did it when the Duchess of Cambridge came to Luxembourg? It was even more obvious. Girl sure knows her angles better than any of them.

To salute or not to salute

Photo: Screenshot RTL

...that is the question. Prince Sébastien joined the Military Parade this year and was seated in a row behind his parents, brother and sister-in-law. During De Wilhelmus (the grand ducal anthem), he saluted alongside the members of the military and police seated next to him. Grand Duke Henri and Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume didn't. I don't actually know what's the protocoll here, so Sébastien and me could probably open a club together - or Guillaume and me, depending on who did the right thing. (FYI, during the Heemecht (the national anthem), the Grand Duke and Hereditary Grand Duke saluted, too.)

National Day giggles

Photo: Screenshot RTL

Towards the end of the Military Parade, the Grand Duchess got the giggles. As the European Anthem was playing, she at one point started to giggle. I would have loved to know what she was looking at! Soon after the end of the anthem, she leaned over to the other members of her family and they also started laughing.

A coat with two faces

Photo: Lex Kleren / Luxemburger Wort / Wort.lu

I know that both Stéphanie and Alexandra seem to love this coat as they have worn it on multiple occasions. Personally, I have never been a fan - even less so after seeing it from different angles than usual. It's like a two-faced piece of clothing... A coat that you can put an front- and backwards without it looking any different? It not only has buttons on the back, even the pockets are mirrored!

I know that hat...

Photo: Screenshots RTL

Looks like we had another had sharing moment at our hands this National Day! Mind you, Princess Claire and Princess Alexandra didn't wear the very same hat this weekend but it looks like Alexandra wore her sister-in-law's hat from a few years ago. Interestingly, Claire also repeated something this year from National Day 2016: The Vilshenko dress.

Is she or isn't she

Photo: Screenshot RTL

No, not what you think. Princess Claire did not become a Luxembourgish citizen upon her marriage (as that would have needed an act of parliament like it was the case for the Hereditary Grand Duchess). We have long wondered whether this has since changed as she can apply for Luxembourgish citizenship after three years of marriage to a Luxembourgish citizen. (Check) She would then have to prove her language skills and knowledge of the country. When I noticed during the Official Ceremony that Claire did not sing the national anthem, I thought that she isn't. However, she did sing the Heemecht during the Te Deum. So no clearing of this confusion (though singing of a national anthem, of course, never is a sign of being a citizen or not but a personal choice).

Sparkly Spotlight: A Closer Look at the Gala Jewels

noreply@blogger.com (Svenja) — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 11:41:00 +0000

As the last act of National Day, the Grand Ducal Family hosted a reception for the members of government, the bureau of the Chamber of Deputies, the Council of State, representatives of the judiciary, heads of the administration and foreign ambassadors. Because I love all things sparkly and I'm predictable like that, here's a jewel spotlight on the Grand Ducal ladies.

Embed from Getty Images

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa topped off her gala appearance with the Belgian Scroll Tiara (which is really nice but it's getting a bit boring because it is slowly becoming the only tiara she seems to wear). She fixed her sash with Princess Ingeborg's Pearl and Diamond Brooch that has been owned by no less than four European royal families. Rounding off her ensemble are her two-coloured pearl earrings and several rings.

Embed from Getty Images

Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie opted for the tiara and earrings of the Turqouise Parure. Luckily, she swapped the usual necklace for the grander turquoise necklace of the Grand Ducal Family, which is a thing on beauty - and I don't even particularly like turquoises in gala jewellery. She also wore several rings.

Embed from Getty Images

Princess Claire went for a sleak look choosing the Grand Duchess Adelaide Tiara and diamond earrings that are part of the grand ducal collection but rather rarely worn.

Embed from Getty Images

Princess Alexandra chose to accesorisse with the Aquamarine Bandeau Tiara, earrings formerly belonging to her paternal grandmother Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte, as well as a bracelet featuring a large aquamarine and a diamond ring.

What's your verdict? Which jewel appearance did you like best and which tiara could you have done without?

All the Photos from National Day

noreply@blogger.com (Svenja) — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 11:10:00 +0000

Photo: Luxemburger Wort / Wort.lu

Here is a convenient list of links to more pictures (and a few videos) than you will probably ever care to look at from all the different National Day celebrations... To learn more about the events, simply click on the name of the event.

Visit to Esch-sur-Alzette

Wort

RTL (incl. video)

Tageblatt

Journal
L'essentiel
Cour

Visit to Larochette

Torchlight Parade

Official Ceremony

Wort

RTL

Tageblatt
Cour
Shortened RTL broadcast

Military Parade

Wort

RTL

Tageblatt
L'essentiel
Cour
Full RTL broadcast

Te Deum

Catholic Church
Wort
L'essentiel

PPE

Cour
Full RTL broadcast

Gala
Cour
PPE

Sparkle in Luxembourg: National Day Gala

noreply@blogger.com (Svenja) — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 21:21:00 +0000

Photo: Cour grand-ducale / Claude Piscitelli

While yours truly died a thousand deaths watching a certain World Cup game, the Grand Ducal Family brought their A-game for the National Day gala at the palais grand-ducal - I do hope they had a TV hidden somewhere for the German and Swedish ambassadors - hosting the members of government, the bureau of the Chamber of Deputies, the Council of State, representatives of the judiciary, heads of the administration and foreign ambassadors for a reception featuring tiaras, gowns, dashing gentlemen and, for the first time since 2015, orders for the ladies. (Last time this happened, we later got official portraits so keep your fingers crossed!)

Photo: Cour grand-ducale / Claude Piscitelli

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa shined in Elie Saab and the Belgian Scroll Tiara, Princess Ingeborg's Pearl and Diamond Brooch and pearl earrings. Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie sported the Turquoise Tiara and while it isn't a particular favourite of mine, I'm glad she got out the large turquoise necklace to accompany it. Princess Claire accessorised her Alexander McQueen gown with the Grand Duchess Adelaide Tiara and Princess Alexandra wore what I believe the Aquamarine Bandeau Tiara with an Elie Saab gown. All the members of the Grand Ducal Family wore the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau except for Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie and Princess Claire who have Luxembourg's second hightest order, the Order of Civil and Military Merit of Adolph of Nassau.

More pictures of the night at the cour with more close-ups hopefully becoming available tomorrow.

First Sketch of the Emerald Art Deco Tiara

noreply@blogger.com (Svenja) — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 16:09:00 +0000

Photo: Collection Chaumet, Paris

We haven't seen the Emerald Art Deco Tiara - a.k.a. the most Wonder Woman-esque of all royal tiaras - in quite a while and I must say that even though it isn't one of my favourite pieces of the Grand Ducal Collection, I kinda miss it. Who knows, maybe we will get to see it this evening? In any way, this National Day certainly brought up a new interesting perspective on the tiara, namely the 1925 scatch of the tiara above.

While I was watching RTL's coverage of the Te Deum and wondered whether I have done this a few too many times, the commentators starting talking about Art Deco, an exhibition currently being shown at the Musée national d'art et d'histoire Luxembourg (MNHA) and a tiara owned by the Grand Ducal Family featuring a very large emerald. Curious me couldn't help but googling and found a sketch of said tiara, originally a gift from Prince Felix to Grand Duchess Charlotte, by Chaumet. Unfortunately, I haven't yet been able to find out whether the Emerald Art Deco Tiara is currently on display at the museum but I will let you know if I do.

Grand Ducal Family Attends Te Deum

noreply@blogger.com (Svenja) — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 15:42:00 +0000

Photo: Screenshot RTL

The Grand Ducal Family continued the National Day celebrations by attending the Te Deum mass at the Cathédral Notre-Dame de Luxembourg this afternoon. The Te Deum used to be the focal point of the National Day festivities but was replaced by a secular ceremony a few years ago. It's still held but in slightly smaller fashion in the afternoon. As it has been for a while now, the Te Deum was an interreligious one, concelebrated by the Catholic archbishop of Luxembourg, the chief rabbi of Luxembourg, the imam of the Muslim community and an Anglican priest.

Photo: Screenshot RTL

While Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Princess Claire and Princess Alexandra sported the same outfits as this morning with the additions of hats or fascinator, Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie went for a different dress. (More on all the National Day fashions tomorrow curtesy of our lovely Heaven who is already busy putting it all together.)

Photo: Screenshot RTL

Like every year, the climax of the thanksgiving service was the "Domine salvum fac magnum ducem nostrum" - "Oh Lord, save our great leader" or something along those lines if my Latin serves me right - played in a different arrangement every year. Other musical pieces traditionally featured were the national anthem, Ons Heemecht, the grand ducal anthem, De Wilhelmus; as well as the Sonnerie nationale, which gets me every year, it's such a majestic piece.

Photo: Screenshot RTL

And a bit of further trivia to round off this post (thanks to a conversation I had on Twitter earlier today): Did you know that the Te Deum is celebrated to praise and thank the Lord for the well-being of the head of state? However, it wasn't customary for the head of state to attend this mass back in the day of Grand Duchess Charlotte who never did, because it was thought inappropriate for her to attend a mass for her blessing. Instead, Prince Felix, Hereditary Grand Duke Jean and Prince Charles did sitting where the Grand Ducal Family does now - Grand Duchess Charlotte's daughter were also in attendance though they were seated in the royal box.

A New Face at the Military Parade

noreply@blogger.com (Svenja) — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 11:05:00 +0000

Photo: Screenshot RTL

Those who have followed the Grand Ducal Family for many years will probably know that the Military Parade usually meant a quick break for most members of the family in a National Day jam-packed with various events. The Parade, which includes participants of the army, police and civilian forces as well as - my personal favourite - rescue dogs, is usually attended by the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess as well as Hereditary Grand Duke and Hereditary Grand Duchess. There was a new face for the Military Parade this year though: Prince Sébastien.

Photo: Screenshot RTL

The youngest son of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess graduated the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst last year and subsequently joined the Luxembourgish army as a Lieutenant, as the first of the Grand Duke's children apart from the Hereditary Grand Duke. As a member of the armed forces, he joined his parents, oldest brother and sister-in-law for the Parade in the Avenue de la Liberté - and we will likely see him again in the years to come. Prince Sébastien arrived together with Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie and did not participate in the review of the troops by the Grand Duke and the Hereditary Grand Duke.

Photo: Screenshot RTL

This was, however, not the first Military Parade for Prince Sébastien and some of his siblings have also attended when they were children or young adults. Sometime in the early-2000's it became common practise though that only Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa as well as Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume were present for the event. Since 2013, the Military Parade has naturally also been attended by Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie.

Luxembourg Marks National Day With Official Ceremony and Military Parade

noreply@blogger.com (Svenja) — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 09:42:00 +0000

All photos: Lex Kleren / Luxemburger Wort / Wort.lu

Haut ass Nationalfeierdag - today is National Day in case your Luxembourgish isn't up to scratch. This morning, the festivities of the Grand Duke's official birthday kicked off with the not-so-new anymore official ceremony. First introduced in 2013, the secular ceremony took place at the Salle de concerts Grande-Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte of the Philharmonie Luxembourg this year. The Grand Ducal Family was out in quite a force to mark the occasion.

Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie, Prince Félix and Princess Claire, Prince Louis, Princess Alexandra and Prince Sébastien all joined the government, deputies and representatives of the municipal council of the City of Luxembourg, the Council of State, the judiciary and the diplomatic corps for the main event of National Day.

As part of the ceremony, the Grand Duke, President of Parliament Mars Di Bartolomeo and Prime Minister Xavier Bettel gave speeches and presented honorary awards to deserving Luxembourgers. The music was provided by the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, the Chamber Choir and the Pueri Cantores of the Conservatoire de la Ville de Luxembourg as well as the choir of the Luxembourg European Choral Institute. After the end of the official ceremony, 21 canon salutes were fired from the Fetschenhof to honour the Grand Duke.

As of the publication of this post, the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess as well as the Hereditary Grand Duke and the Hereditary Grand Duchess should be making their way to the Avenue de la Liberté for the military parade. Both Henri and Guillaume will have changed into their uniforms for the occasion. The military parade traditionally also includes representatives of the police as well as aid, emergency and security services.

More photos from the Official Ceremony at Wort.

Grand Ducal Family at Torchlight Parade

noreply@blogger.com (Svenja) — Sat, 23 Jun 2018 09:35:00 +0000

Photo: Lex Kleren / Luxemburger Wort / Wort.lu

We got a full house for National Day this year: After the visits to Esch-sur-Alzette and Larochette yesterday afternoon, the Grand Ducal Family rounded off the day by attending the traditional torchlight parade last night - and out in full force they were! Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa brought along not only Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie but also Prince Félix and Princess Claire, Prince Louis, Princess Alexandra as well as Prince Sébastien for the event on the eve of the Grand Duke's official birthday.

Photo: Guy Wolff / Luxemburger Wort / Wort.lu

The torchlight parade features firefighters, scouts and basically everyone who is old enough to hold it carrying (surprise, surprise) torches. In addition there are folklore and musical groups and associations performing. The torchlight procession is part of the street festival taking place in the city on the day prior to the National Day. The pre-celebrations were rounded off by a fireworks display watched by the Grand Ducal Family from the balcony of the Place de la Constitution.

More photos from Wort.

Grand Ducal Couple Visits Larochette

noreply@blogger.com (Svenja) — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 20:29:00 +0000

Photo: Guy Wolff / Luxemburger Wort / wort.lu

While Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie kicked off the National Day celebrations with a visit to Esch-sur-Alzette, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa started their National Day shenanigans with a visit to Larochette. Named Fiels in Luxembourgish and Fels in German, Larochette is a small town in central Luxembourg, in the canton of Mersch. The grand ducal couple was greeted by local mayor Natalie Silva and Deputy Prime Minister Xavier Bettel as well as a variety of other local dignitaries.

Photo: Guy Wolff / Luxemburger Wort / wort.lu

After being introduced to other local authorities, first up on the Grand Duke's and Grand Duchess' agenda in Larochette was a visit to the "Elise de Roebe" Day Centre of the Stëftung Hëllef Doheem (Help at Home Foundation). This was followed by a tour of the old town including a meeting with young people at the Maison des Jeunes, dedicated to the integration of the non-Luxembourg population, and a visit to the Museum of Textiles, which is located in an annex of the old Jhangeli train station, a former narrow-gauge railway connecting various towns in the Grand Duchy.

Photo: Guy Wolff / Luxemburger Wort / wort.lu

After a speech of Mayor Silva at the Place Bleech, the Grand Duke awarded six honorific distinctions to deserving Luxembourgers. The event was framed by different musical pieces. The Larochette visit was rounded of by a public fair including a folk dance presentation that gave Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa to chance to mingle and exchange words with the local population. They also made sure to sign the golden book before the left the city.

More photos from Wort.

Almost National Day: Guillaume and Stéphanie Visit Esch-sur-Alzette

noreply@blogger.com (Svenja) — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 20:15:00 +0000

Photo: Lex Kleren / Luxemburger Wort / wort.lu

Luxembourg's National Day is fast approaching. Tomorrow the Grand Duchy will celebrate the Grand Duke's official birthday and we will have a fest of our own featuring hats, tiaras and uniforms. The official festivities all over the Grand Duchy always start on the eve of National Day though - so, you know, you can let loose and use National Day for recovery (or something along those lines)...

Photo: Lex Kleren / Luxemburger Wort / wort.lu

The first grand ducal appearance of the National Day celebrations we got in form of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie who paid the traditional visit to Esch-sur-Alzette. The duo was welcomed in the Grand Duchy's second largest city in front of the local mayor Georges Mischo, the President of the Chamber of Deputies Mars di Bartolomeo, additional members of the Chamber of Deputies and the government as well as local politicians.

Photo: Lex Kleren / Luxemburger Wort / wort.lu

After the laying of a wreath of flowers at the war memorial in the Place de la Résistance, they made their way to the city centre of Esch. On the place in front of the town hall, the Hereditary Grand Duke and Hereditary Grand Duchess watched a parade of the associations and clubs of the town. This was followed by a short reception hosted in the honour of the royal guests at the town hall and an appearance on the balcony. Afterwards, Guillaume and Stéphanie made their way to the Escher Volleksfest, a public fair celebrating National Day, where they mingled with the people and lit a fire together with young scouts.

More photos at Wort.

Liechtenstein's Honorary Consuls Prepare for 300th Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina ) — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 02:53:00 +0000

Roland Korner / Close Up AG

Hereditary Prince Alois received Liechtenstein's eight Honorary Consul's at Vaduz Castle today. They also met with Aurelia Frick during their visit.

The Honorary Consul's promote Liechtenstein abroad and are based in Frankfurt-am-Main, Munich, Hong Kong, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Atlanta. They make biannual visits to the principality to gain personal experience as most of the Consul's are not Liechtensteiners. The biggest focus of this year's visit was Liechtenstein's upcoming 300th Anniversary Jubilee. On 23 January, 2019 the principality will be 300 years old. The nation will mark this event with celebrations within Liechtenstein and abroad. They were given insight into the plans and discussed their role in promoting the events in Liechtenstein. Aurelia Frick stated that the principality is keen to share the history of the principality and the strengths of modern Liechtenstein with the world.

Plans for the jubilee have yet to be announced; however, it appears that celebrations will be extensive.

Henri Awards Civil and Military Order of Adolphe of Nassau for 2018

noreply@blogger.com (B) — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 18:59:00 +0000

On June 21st, Grand Duke Henri awarded the Civil and Military Order of Adolphe of Nassau for 2018. Recipients included members of the Police grand-ducale, staff members of the Cour grand-ducale, members of the Government administration and institutions, members of the Luxembourg Army and Military Band, and members of the Association grand-ducale des Militaires et Anciens Militaires luxembourgeois.

Information and more photos from the Cour website.

Grand Duke Henri Receives Indian Minister of External Affairs

noreply@blogger.com (B) — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 18:51:00 +0000

Grand Duke Henri received in audience the Minister of External Affairs for the Republic of India, Sushma Swaraj. During the visit, the Minister also held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Xavier Bettel.

Information and photo from the Cour website.

Henri and Maria Teresa View Farmhouse Renovation

noreply@blogger.com (B) — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 18:44:00 +0000

Also on June 20th, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa visited Colmar-Berg to view the renovation work done on what was formerly the Nelson farmhouse. The Fonds du Logement acquired the property in 2000 and began making improvements, which were completed recently. The property will now be used in part for an assisted housing project in connection with ARCUS asbl.

Information and more photos at the Cour website.

Henri Attends Swearing-In of New Member of Government

noreply@blogger.com (B) — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 18:39:00 +0000

On June 20th, Grand Duke Henri was present for the swearing-in of Claude Turmes, the new Secretary of State for Sustainable Development and Infrastructure. Also in attendance were Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, Minister of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure François Bausch, and Minister of the Environment Carole Dieschbourg.

Information and another photo from the Cour website.

Guillaume and Stéphanie to Move to London

noreply@blogger.com (Svenja) — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 14:03:00 +0000

The cour grand-ducale announced earlier today that Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie will move to London later this year. The Hereditary Grand Duke will start a post-graduate training course at the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) in September. According to the cour, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume wants to acquire additional expertise for his future responsibilities as Grand Duke. He made the decision to study at the RCDS in continuity with his education at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and his university studies in political science.

The Hereditary Grand Duchess will of course move to the British capital with her husband. She will use the time in London to study art history at the Sotheby's Institute. Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie is the patron of several art related charities as well as the President of the the Musée d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean (MUDAM).

Grand Duke Henri Receives US Ambassador

noreply@blogger.com (B) — Wed, 20 Jun 2018 18:39:00 +0000

On June 19th, Grand Duke Henri received in audience the new United States ambassador, J. Randolph Evans, for the presentation of credentials. He becomes the 23rd ambassador from the U.S. to the Grand Duchy. Upon this event, the new ambassador to Luxembourg made the following statement: "Serving as Ambassador to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a great honour. Luxembourg is a beautiful country. My wife, Linda, and I are looking forward to our time here and getting to know the Luxembourgish people. I am ready to get to work to continue to support the wonderful relationship that exists between our two countries and to work together to strengthen and develop even better relationships than ever before."

Information from Chronicle.lu.