Last December, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg made a surprising announcement: he plans to abdicate the throne. In his Christmas broadcast, he revealed that his son, Prince Guillaume, 43, would succeed him as the nation’s sovereign on 3 October this year.
In his speech, Grand Duke Henri said, “As you know, Prince Guillaume has been Lieutenant-Représentant since 8 October and is preparing intensively for his accession to the throne. To make this more exciting, I won’t reveal the exact date until the end of my speech.”
Reflecting on his son and daughter-in-law, Princess Stéphanie, he expressed confidence in their future role, saying, “I know they will do their utmost to contribute to the well-being of our country.”
Now, new details have emerged about the historic day. According to the Luxembourg government, Grand Duke Henri will sign the Act of Abdication on 3 October, in the presence of the President of the Chamber of Deputies and the Prime Minister. Prince Guillaume will then be sworn in at the Chamber of Deputies and make a public appearance on the balcony of the Grand Ducal Palace.
Later, a reception will be held for the institutions and the diplomatic corps, followed by a gala dinner at the palace.
On 4 October, the new Grand Duke will carry out official engagements in several cities, including attending a nocturnal drone show and concert in the capital. The royal family will wrap up the celebrations on 5 October with a service at Notre Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg, hosted by the Archbishop.
