This morning, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg released a heartfelt letter about his late father, Grand Duke Jean.
The letter was released by the Grand Ducal Court in both Luxembourgish and French. The translation of his letter, done by Luxarazzi, is below:
Dear fellow
citizens,
Today on the day of the funeral
of our beloved father, I would like to tell you how much he meant
to us, his children, children-in-law, grandchildren and
great-grandchildren. He was always there for his family, despite
his many obligations he fulfilled with a great sense of
responsibility and duty. In this, he could always rely on the
support of his wife, my mother, Grand Duchess
Joséphine-Charlotte.
His open and affectionate
nature and his ability to approach people impressed everyone who
met him. He was an incredibly positive person. He could always be
enthusiastic about everything. Up until a few days before he was
hospitalised, he insisted to take part in the Forum (about sexual
violence) my wife organised or to visit exhibitions.
He was interested in everything
that happened in the country. Even the difficult Brexit agreement
proposals contained few secrets for him. I am convinced that our
father’s sincerity and enthusiasm are some of the reasons he
reached such an old age. He passed his zest for life on to us,
his family, and his humour brought more than one tear of joy and
laughter to our eyes. He was our constant support, encouraging us,
congratulating us for our actions while fully respecting our
choices and decisions.
Of course, the other ambition
in his life was the deep love he felt for his country and the great
affection for its people, their unity and diversity. The hardships
he overcame with so much courage built an unparalleled connection
with his mother, the Grand Duchess Charlotte. He believed in the
good of humankind and its progress, just as he took great pride in
the progress of our country in the past several decades. The
affection and plentiful tributes for him by the people of
Luxembourg of the past two weeks will remain for me one of the
greatest and most memorable experiences of my
life.
A few weeks ago, when Grand
Duke Jean was hospitalised, we all accompanied and surrounded him.
He was the centre of three generations. Two days before his
departure, he thanked those who cared for him, then he said goodbye
to us. Those were his last words. Once more, he showed the
greatness of his soul and his consideration for others. He died
with the feeling of a fulfilled life.
We, his children and his
family, are particularly proud and happy to have had him as a
father.
Thank You, Papa,
We thank you from the bottom of
our hearts for everything you have done for us.
Henri
