Events for Luxembourg’s National Day began on Saturday with Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie visited Esch-sur-Alzette, and Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa paid a visit to Château de Bourscheid.
In the evening, the traditional torchlight parade, as part of the street festival on the eve of National Day, took place. In attendance were the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, Hereditary Grand Duke and Hereditary Grand Duchess, Prince Félix, Prince Louis, Princess Alexandra, and Prince Sébastien. The family then enjoyed fireworks from the Place de la Constitution.
© Grand-Ducal Court / Claude Piscitelli
On Sunday morning, Salle de concerts Grande-Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte of the Philharmonie Luxembourg hosted the official secular ceremony attended by the Grand Ducal Family in which the Grand Duke spoke.
© Grand Ducal Court / Sophie Margue
His Royal Highness paid tribute to his late father, Grand Duke Jean who died in April of this year saying, “It is perhaps neither in our habits nor in my nature to publicly evoke reflections or more personal considerations, but I had held a few weeks ago to share our deepest emotion with the loss of the one who was for all of us, the ‘pater familias.’ However, I do not forget that before being our beloved father, Grand Duke Jean was a public man, a man of duty, entirely devoted to his position as head of state, to his country and to his compatriots.”
Next came the military parade on the Avenue Kennedy which was attended by the Grand Duke, Grand Duchess, Hereditary Grand Duke, Hereditary Grand Duchess, and Prince Sébastien. Military members, policemen and women, and rescue services participated, and the Grand Duke and Hereditary Grand Duke reviewed the troops.
© Grand-Ducal Court / Claude Piscitelli
Afterwards, the interreligious Te Deum service took place at Notre-Dame Cathedral with the Catholic Archbishop of Luxembourg, chief rabbi and imam leading the service. Civilian and military authorities attended, as did Princess Tessy who said on social media that she was seeing the Te Deum from the other side this year (her divorce from Prince Louis was finalised earlier this year). Of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess’s children, only Prince Félix and his wife were missing.
The National Day celebrations concluded with a gala dinner at the Grand Ducal Palace hosted by Their Royal Highnesses. Members of the government, members of the Bureau of the Chamber of Deputies, diplomatic corps, senior judiciary representatives, and members of the Council of State were in attendance at the formal event.
© Grand Ducal Court / Sophie Margue
All adult members of the Grand Ducal Family took part in the festivities in some way except for Princess Claire, the wife of Prince Félix. The Grand Ducal Court has not commented on why she was unable to participate.
