General Information and Questions about the Luxembourg Grand Ducal Family

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

Wow! She does all that?

 

[nordishbynature]

Painted Portraits

Does anyone have pictures of portraits of the Grand Ducal family?
It would be interesting to see some

 

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

Do you mean official photos?

 

[nordishbynature]

No, painted pictures

 

[suturegeisha]

I've seen a couple of paintings of different members of the family; most recently was the one of Maria-Teresa and Alexandra painted for GD Henri's 50th birthday.

 

[CrownPrinceLorenzo]

How come Grand Duke Jean takes precedence over The Grand Duke?

Shouldn't he come after The Grand Duke because he abdicated?

 

[Warren]

Shouldn't he come after The Grand Duke because he abdicated?

It is up to the current Grand Duke to determine precedence. If he wishes to honour his father in this manner, so be it.

 

[CrownPrinceLorenzo]

Hey

Okay, so for example.

If Charles was King, could he put his father on a higher precedence than him?

 

[Alexandria]

He could, but that likely wouldn't happen as Prince Philip was not the monarch -- it was his wife who was the head of the monarchy, not him. Prine Philip is merely a consort.

In the case of Luxembourg, Jean was the head of the monarchy and his wife was the consort.

 

[CrownPrinceLorenzo]

Alright thanks

Okay thanks.

So if it was Grand Duke Jean's wife that outlived him. She would probably come after The Grand Duke and his wife right?

 

[MoonlightRhapsody]

Okay thanks.

So if it was Grand Duke Jean's wife that outlived him. She would probably come after The Grand Duke and his wife right?

Curious thing, but I think she would still preceed her son, just because she is his mother. I can't be certain, but I think that in England, the Queen Mother was above or at the same level as her daughter up until the day she died. Her daughter did not place her lower than herself. I guess rules are different for the father of the monarch who was the consort of the previous monarch.

 

[Alexandria]

Curious thing, but I think she would still preceed her son, just because she is his mother. I can't be certain, but I think that in England, the Queen Mother was above or at the same level as her daughter up until the day she died. Her daughter did not place her lower than herself. I guess rules are different for the father of the monarch who was the consort of the previous monarch.

No, I don't think Josephine-Charlotte would've preceeded her son had she outlived Jean. The same rule would apply to her as would Phillip in Great Britain.

Being the mother of the monarch has little to do with precedence. Why would being the mother of the monarch mean more than being the father of the monarch (as is the case of Phillip and Charles)?

In the Netherlands, after her abdication in favour of her daughter, Queen Juliana became Princess Juliana to signify her lower rank within the court, so that for some years, the hierarchy went something like this:
Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus
Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard
Crown Prince Willem
Prince Johan-Friso
Prince Constantijn
Princess Margriet and Mr. Pieter van Vollenhoven
Prince Maurits
Prince Bernhard Jr.
Prince Pieter-Christiaan
Prince Floris

Upon her death, Princess Juliana was called Queen Juliana again to signify her former position in the monarchy.

Within the family Josephine-Charlotte might've had more power than her son, but as far as the monarchy went, Henri (and then his wife) was always the more powerful one and the one who took precedence when it came to court matters.

 

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

Besides, in Luxembourg women don't have equal rights when it comes to being monarch.

 

[moosey60]

Besides, in Luxembourg women don't have equal rights when it comes to being monarch.

Don't women have no succession rights? I.e. I don't believe Princess Alexandra is in the line of succession at all.

Doesn't it go something like:
1. Guillaume
2. Felix
3. Louis
4. Sebastien

I think Luxembourg should change this...women should have equal rights. It might be an age-long tradition, but they should consider changing it what with it being the 21st century and the encouragement of gender equality. It seems Luxembourg and Japan want to hold onto traditions.

 

[Oppie]

Liechtenstein is the same.

 

[suturegeisha]

Don't women have no succession rights? I.e. I don't believe Princess Alexandra is in the line of succession at all.

Doesn't it go something like:
1. Guillaume
2. Felix
3. Louis
4. Sebastien

I think Luxembourg should change this...women should have equal rights. It might be an age-long tradition, but they should consider changing it what with it being the 21st century and the encouragement of gender equality. It seems Luxembourg and Japan want to hold onto traditions.

Women do have succession rights in Luxembourg, but only after all available male family members have been exhausted.
Current line of succession is:
1] Guillaume
2] Felix
3] Louis
4] Sebastien
5] Guillaume [1963]
6] Paul Louis
7] Leopold
....and from there I am not sure how the succession goes. I don't know if it would revert back to Alexandra [since Jean and his children Marie Gabrielle, Constantin, Wenceslaus and Carl Johan are not in line for the throne] or if it would pass to Marie-Astrid and her children.

 

[lisamaria]

Women do have succession rights in Luxembourg, but only after all available male family members have been exhausted.
Current line of succession is:
1] Guillaume
2] Felix
3] Louis
4] Sebastien
5] Guillaume [1963]
6] Paul Louis
7] Leopold
....and from there I am not sure how the succession goes. I don't know if it would revert back to Alexandra [since Jean and his children Marie Gabrielle, Constantin, Wenceslaus and Carl Johan are not in line for the throne] or if it would pass to Marie-Astrid and her children.

I think I saw somewhere a line where Alexandra was after Guillaume's youngest son. So it goes so that probably Guillaume's daughter comes after A and M-A and her children after her. But it's merely speculation - CP Guillaume doesn't even ride in the same car or plane with his father, in order to save if something happens to the other. What it does mean though was that if Guillaume and his future wife only got daughters, it would probably be Felix who would succeed him. Gives me headache really to think all that...

-Lisa

 

[Warren]

I can't be certain, but I think that in England, the Queen Mother was above or at the same level as her daughter up until the day she died. Her daughter did not place her lower than herself.

The female Order of Precedence was The Queen followed by The Queen Mother. A consort could never have precedence over the Sovereign.

 

[CrownPrinceLorenzo]

Don't women have no succession rights? I.e. I don't believe Princess Alexandra is in the line of succession at all.

Doesn't it go something like:
1. Guillaume
2. Felix
3. Louis
4. Sebastien

I think Luxembourg should change this...women should have equal rights. It might be an age-long tradition, but they should consider changing it what with it being the 21st century and the encouragement of gender equality. It seems Luxembourg and Japan want to hold onto traditions.

They do, Grand Duke Jean's mom, Grand Duchess Charlotte was the monarch before she abdicated in favor of her son. But as Warren said, the male line has to be completely extinct before the women gets the throne. It's Semi-Salic Law.

 

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

I think I saw somewhere a line where Alexandra was after Guillaume's youngest son. So it goes so that probably Guillaume's daughter comes after A and M-A and her children after her. But it's merely speculation - CP Guillaume doesn't even ride in the same car or plane with his father, in order to save if something happens to the other. What it does mean though was that if Guillaume and his future wife only got daughters, it would probably be Felix who would succeed him. Gives me headache really to think all that...

-Lisa

Your talking about Henri's brother, right? Because otherwise I would really be confused.

 

[suturegeisha]

They do, Grand Duke Jean's mom, Grand Duchess Charlotte was the monarch before she abdicated in favor of her son. But as Warren said, the male line has to be completely extinct before the women gets the throne. It's Semi-Salic Law.

Actually, I said that.

That's not to discredit Warren, though, I'm just making a point.

 

[CrownPrinceLorenzo]

I'm sorry I didn't see your post!

 

[Warren]

Actually, I said that.
That's not to discredit Warren, though, I'm just making a point.

How did I get mixed up in this? . The credit is suturegeisha's.

 

[suturegeisha]

I'm sorry I didn't see your post!

No problem.

 

[Salomé]

I have a question,where did the Grand Ducal couple met,i know they met at university or something like that,but I want to know more about which univesity,the duke studied there or it was a special event,and does Maria-Theresa came from a wealthy family?

 

[lisamaria]

I have a question,where did the Grand Ducal couple met,i know they met at university or something like that,but I want to know more about which univesity,the duke studied there or it was a special event,and does Maria-Theresa came from a wealthy family?

The stories about how they met vary a bit; according one, they met in the university study group. He was using a false name and his coverstory was that his parents were diplomats or something like that. She learned the truth only after they had dated sometime and dumped him because he had lied to her He chased her around for a long time and then she finally gave in and married him. Other story goes that she was visiting friends in Barcelona, and he was there too; someone asked her to act as his guide to all things mundane, as he was a little helpless due to his status and upbringing. They went later to the same university and continued to date. Third version is that they met in Geneva through mutual friends, while studying there. The last one is probably true. Did you know, by the way, that Henri wanted all his children to go to ordinary schools because he was taught at home and has hence always regretted for not having close friends because of that?

The interesting thing is that I have read articles in which MT has pretty much confirmed each version, so who knows what the reality is

MT's grandfather was a Cuban bankman, and it is said that the reason Henri was allowed to marry her was that she had money of her own. Though how much money, is unclear; her family doesn't strike to me as fabulously rich. MT's parents are dead, but her brother attended the silver anniversary; he was the bald, sort of boxer-looking guy whose wife had big, blond hair.

 

[Lindy]

MT's grandfather was a Cuban bankman, and it is said that the reason Henri was allowed to marry her was that she had money of her own. Though how much money, is unclear; her family doesn't strike to me as fabulously rich. MT's parents are dead, but her brother attended the silver anniversary; he was the bald, sort of boxer-looking guy whose wife had big, blond hair.

I think her family was very rich. Have you ever seen pictures of the house (mansion) in Geneva where she grew up? BTW, that was her younger brother Luis and his wife Nicole. She also has a sister, Catalina, and an older brother, Antonio.

According to interviews with MT, she and Henri were introduced through mutual friends of both of their parents with whom Henri came to live when he attended the University of Geneva. Henri and MT were in the same political science program for four years. They decided early on that they were meant "one for the other" but kept it a secret from everyone. (However, she has said that her parents had Henri over to dinner every night.)

There seem to have been many ups and downs over the last ten years. There have been rumors of Maria Teresa's alcoholism and Henri's affair with Lydie Polfer, along with Maria Teresa's nervous breakdown, breast implants, and tearful meeting with journalists to tell of the abuse of Josephine-Charlotte. Her son, Crown Prince Guillaume, appears to have dropped out of college and now Prince Louis has had a child at nineteen. All rather shocking from the "nice" Luxembourg royal family.

 

[lisamaria]

There seem to have been many ups and downs over the last ten years. There have been rumors of Maria Teresa's alcoholism and Henri's affair with Lydie Polfer, along with Maria Teresa's nervous breakdown, breast implants, and tearful meeting with journalists to tell of the abuse of Josephine-Charlotte. Her son, Crown Prince Guillaume, appears to have dropped out of college and now Prince Louis has had a child at nineteen. All rather shocking from the "nice" Luxembourg royal family.

They are people. Wow.

I think the press meeting did happen. Louis had his baby. JC wasn't too keen on MT - but was she too keen on anyone? About the rest, well, it's possible. Anything can happen, and sometimes even the best of people get sidetracked. I think - and don't kill me for saying this - that the reason H and MT have become a good target to all sorts of rumours is that they look like two extremely different people. He's shy and retiring, she's outgoing and bold. He likes books and classical music and fishing and hunting, she enjoys pop and dancing and clothes. He is private and modest, she likes attention. He's athletic (as in has run marathons), she enjoys her chocolate ice-cream. Sometimes the same opposites that attract at first later tear you apart.

Except these two don't have that kind of luxury. They run a conservative country. They have five kids. I recently read that H barely knew his parents growing up and so has been very careful to be the best father. They present a nice picture outside, and quite really, no-one knows what goes behind that but they themselves.

 

[britty1]

Oh fabulous... I've finally discovered a preety normal royal family!! Yeahhhhh!!!

 

[Next Star]

No one is perfect espically not the Luxembourg royal family even tho they hold titles and we don't does not make them mistake free. They have the most normal lives out of all of the European royal families I watch this show callled royal families of the world and saw the members of Luxembourg royal family . Riding their bicycles on a nice summer day this show was taped back in 1998 when Herni was still Hereditary Grand Duke not Crown Prince because he was not heir to a throne of a kingdom or a empire that is the correct title of the heir
to the Luxembourg throne is Hereditary Grand Duke period.