175 Years of Luxembourg Independence

Members of Luxembourg’s Grand Ducal Family yesterday attended an academic session to mark the 175th anniversary of Luxembourg’s independence as established by the Treaty of London.

Grand Duke Henri, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa (wearing a lilac sheath dress and matching jacket), Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie (in a white jacket and navy pants) attended the session at the Cercle Cité in Luxembourg City, which saw 300 invited guests listen to speeches by the Grand Duke, Prime Minister Bettel and other prominent officials.

During his speech, Grand Duke Henri spoke of his nation’s history, and how the combination of losing a significant portion of their population when they gained independence and being a tiny country locked between global super-powers did not hinder the country’s progress. “There was the ‘Luxembourg miracle’. Generations of Luxembourgers since 1839 took fate into their hands,” he said, in Lëtzebuergesch, one of the country’s three official languages.

He also spoke of the future, saying that Luxembourg will remain strong in the face of change, “We have a special living environment, a largely preserved nature, one of the highest standards of living and a multicultural population.”

After the conclusion of the session, a reception was held where the Grand Ducal family mingled with the invited guests made up of government officials, religious leaders, military veterans and the general community. Guests were also given the chance to view historical documents which related to the Treaty of London in a specially created exhibition.

Luxembourg gained independence with the 1839 Treaty of London, when its borders were changed (two-thirds of the country was made into the Province of Luxembourg found in Belgium). Known as the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, it remained in a personal union with the Kingdom of the Netherlands until 1890.

Filed under Luxembourg
Tagged Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Luxembourg, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg, Prime Minister Bettel of Luxembourg, Treaty of London.

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