Luxembourg’s Grand Duke starts State Visit to Belgium with nod to family ties

It was a family affair in Brussels as the King of the Belgians welcomed his cousin, the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, on a State Visit.

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde are hosting Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa for a three day trip designed to strengthen ties between their two nations. And the family links between the two were on show throughout the start of the visit which was marked by smiles and camaraderie.

The official welcome took place at the Royal Palace in Brussels where the Grand Duke and Duchess were greeted with full pomp and ceremony. The national anthems of both countries were played and King Philippe and Grand Duke Henri inspected the guard before the four headed inside, away from the rain, for a more informal meeting.

The Grand Duke and Duchess visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Brussels where they laid a wreath in a short ceremony of commemoration. They then went to the Belgian Parliament for meetings with politicians as part of the official start of their three day trip.

Next stop on day one was a visit to the Hotel de Ville in Brussels where the King and Queen of the Belgians and their guests made a balcony appearance before a walkabout. Grand Duke Henri was centre of attention – he was marking his 69th birthday as the State Visit got under way and was greeted with several choruses of Happy Birthday as he met many of those waiting to say hello in the rain.

The showpiece event of the State Visit, the State Banquet, took place in the evening at Chateau of Laeken, home to King Philippe and Queen Mathilde. And the family links between the two royal families came to the fore during the evening, with Grand Duke Henri recalling visits to Laeken during his speech at the dinner. The Grand Duke said ”many memories come back to me from my childhood with my brothers and sisters in Laeken…to visit our aunts, uncles cousins and our great-grandmother, Queen Elisabeth.”

There was a nod to another of the ancestors shared by the two royal cousins in the jewels on show. Queen Mathilde chose to wear the Nine Provinces tiara, the grandest in the Belgian royal collection. The diadem was originally made for Queen Astrid of the Belgians, the grandmother of Grand Duke Henri and King Philippe who died before either was born. Grand Duchess Maria Teresa wore the Belgian Scroll tiara which belonged to Henri’s mother and Philippe’s aunt, Josephine-Charlotte, and which she brought with her to Luxembourg when she married the future Grand Duke, Jean.

King Philippe also spoke of the ties between the two families and two countries in his speech and focused on the role Belgium and Luxembourg play on a wider stage, saying ”the example of our co-operation…is a source of inspiration for the whole of Europe.”

The State Visit continues on April 17th and April 18th.