The Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, Stephanie, has given birth to her first child, a son, at the Grand Duchess Charlotte Maternity Hospital in Luxembourg City at 5:13 am this morning. The child weighs 3,190 kg and is 50 cm. Both the mother and baby are doing well.
The new royal and future grand duke is named Prince Charles Jean Philippe Joseph Marie Guillaume. As expected, the new Prince carries a few traditional names.
Charles – Charles is not a new name in the Luxembourg Grand Ducal family as Grand Duchess Charlotte and her husband Prince Felix also had a son named Charles. He died in 1977 at the age of 49 after having two children with his American-born wife, Joan. The name Charles can also be found in the Hereditary Grand Duchess’ family as her grandfather was Count Paul Charles de Lannoy. It is also the feminine form of Charlotte and could pay tribute to Luxembourg’s second Grand Duchess in her own right.
Jean – Not surprisingly, the name of the much-loved Grand Duke Jean, who passed away last year at the age of 98, is included in the list of names.
Philippe – The name Philippe is undoubtedly a tribute to the Hereditary Grand Duchess’ father, Count Philippe de Lannoy, who also passed away last year at the age of 96.
Joseph – The name Joseph is could possibly be a nod to Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte (born a Princess of Belgium), the wife of Grand Duke Jean. She died in 2005. It’s also the French version of Jose, the name of Guillaume’s maternal grandfather. The Hereditary Grand Duke also has it as a middle name.
Marie – The name Marie signifies patronage of the Virgin Mary in countries with strong Catholic traditions, like Luxembourg.
Guillaume – The name Guillaume is a strong one in the family and came down from the Dutch Royal Family (who also reigned as Grand Dukes of Luxembourg until 1890) as William/Willem. It is, of course, also the name of the young Prince’s father.
