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Luxembourg

Grand Duke Jean’s funeral details are released

This morning Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg announced the passing of his father, Grand Duke Jean, aged 98. The Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel has made a statement on the passing of “a hero” and has released the funeral details.

Prime Minister Xavier Bettel organised a press conference in which he made a live statement on the death of Grand Duke Jean. The Prime Minister called him “a hero, an example for us all, a symbol of our nation”. He praised Grand Duke Jean for his loyal service and commitment to his country. Mr Bettel was clearly moved by the Grand Duke’s death.

The Prime Minister also released more details on the passing and funeral arrangements of Grand Duke Jean. His Royal Highness passed away on Tuesday 23 April at 12.25 am at the age of 98. He was surrounded by his family.

Grand Duke Jean will, as expected, receive a State Funeral. The funeral will take place on Saturday, 4 May at 11 am at the Cathedral of Luxembourg. Further details are expected to be released in due course.

It is too early to tell who will be attending the funeral. However, it is expected that many members of the Belgian Royal Family will come and pay their respects to Grand Duke Jean as they are closely related. King Albert of Belgium was the brother-in-law of Grand Duke Jean. King Philippe of the Belgians and Grand Duke Henri are first cousins.

Grand Duke Jean reigned for nearly 36 years before he abdicated in favour of his son, Grand Duke Henri in 2000. In 1953, he married the Belgian Princess Josephine Charlotte, a sister of King Albert of Belgium. Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte passed away aged 77 in 2005. The pair had five children together.

Last week, the Grand Duke was admitted to the hospital due to a pulmonary infection. On Sunday, the Grand Ducal Court announced that his condition had worsened significantly, and on Tuesday morning, Grand Duke Henri announced the passing of his “beloved father.”

About author

Laura is from Belgium and has a passion for all things royal. She is Europe Correspondent for Royal Central since October 2016 and has contributed to other news websites. In her daily life she is a fulltime student in EU-politics and political communication.