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Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg

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Prince Guillaume
Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg (more)
Guillaume in 2024
Regent of Luxembourg
Regency8 October 2024 – present
MonarchHenri
BornPrince Guillaume of Luxembourg
(1981-11-11) 11 November 1981 (age 43)
Grand Duchess Charlotte Maternity Hospital, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2012)​
IssuePrince Charles of Luxembourg
Prince François of Luxembourg
Names
Guillaume Jean Joseph Marie
HouseLuxembourg-Nassau (official)[1]
Bourbon-Parma (agnatic)
FatherHenri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
MotherMaría Teresa Mestre y Batista
ReligionRoman Catholic
  • The Duke
    The Duchess
    • The Prince of Piacenza
    • The Marchioness of Castell'Arquato
    • The Countess of Berceto
Extended royal family

Descendants of Prince Felix and also members of the Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg (see there):

Princess Joan

  • Princess Charlotte
  • Prince Robert
    Princess Julie
    • Princess Charlotte
    • Prince Alexandre
    • Prince Frederik

Descendants of Prince René:

  • Prince Philip
    Princess Annette
    • Prince Jacques
    • Prince Joseph
      Princess Anna Louise
      • Prince Arthur
      • Princess Lily
  • Princess Lorraine
  • Prince Alain
    Princess Inge

Princess Maria Pia

  • Princess Lydia
    • Princess Antonia
    • Princess Marie-Gabrielle
    • Princess Alexia
    • Prince Michael
    • Prince Henri
      Princess Gabriella
      • Princess Victoria
      • Princess Anastasia
      • Princess Philippina
  • Princess Sybil
  • Prince Charles-Emmanuel
    Princess Constance
    • Prince Amaury
      Princess Pélagie
      • Princess Sybille
    • Princess Charlotte
    • Princess Élisabeth
    • Princess Zita

Princess Marina

  • Princess Tania
  • Princess Astrid
  • Prince Axel
    Princess Raphaèle
    • Prince Côme-Axel
    • Princess Alix
    • Princess Aure

Descendants of Prince Louis:

Princess Brigitte

  • Prince Louis
    Princess Ariane
    • Princess Delphine
    • Prince Guy

Prince Rémy
Princess Elisabeth

  • Prince Tristan
    Princess Shira
    • Princess Talma
    • Prince Imri
  • Princess Aude

Princess Chantal

Prince Jean
Princess Virginia

  • Prince Arnaud
  • Prince Christophe

Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg (Guillaume Jean Joseph Marie; born 11 November 1981), is the heir apparent to the Luxembourg throne since October 2000 and regent of the country since October 2024, as the son of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa. He is set to become Grand Duke on 3 October 2025 upon the abdication of his father.

Early life and education

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Prince Guillaume was born on 11 November 1981 at the Grand Duchess Charlotte Maternity Hospital in Luxembourg City and is the eldest child of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and his wife, Cuban-born Grand Duchess Maria Teresa.[2] His godparents are Princess Marie Astrid of Luxembourg and Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg. Guillaume has four younger siblings: Prince Félix, Prince Louis, Princess Alexandra and Prince Sébastien.

Guillaume's education includes Lycée Robert-Schumann in Luxembourg;[3] Swiss boarding schools the Institut Le Rosey and the Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil where he finished the French baccalaureate in 2001;[3] and Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Camberley, England.[3] He began his higher education studies in the United Kingdom where he studied at University College, Durham and Brunel University, both in England.[4] In 2006 he entered Institut Philanthropos in Fribourg, Switzerland, where he spent a year studying philosophy and anthropology. He later studied letters and political science at the Institut Albert-le-Grand in Angers, receiving his bachelor's degree with honors in 2009. His degree was issued by Université d'Angers,[3] as a result of a partnership agreement between the two schools. From 2018 until 2019, Prince Guillaume attended a postgraduate training at the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) in London.[5]

The Hereditary Grand Duke completed internships at the Belgian Chemical Union in 2003, at the Deutsche Bank in London in 2004, and at the Spanish branch of ArcelorMittal in 2005.[5] Sworn in December 2002 as an officer in the Luxembourg Army, Prince Guillaume holds the rank of colonel.[5]

Hereditary Grand Duke

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Guillaume has been heir apparent to the crown of Luxembourg since his father's accession in 2000. On his future succession to the grand ducal throne, he will reign as Guillaume V (English: William V).

Guillaume became the honorary chairman of the Board of Economic Development of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, an agency for economic promotion and development, in March 2001.[6][5] He has also been a member of the Council of State since 24 June 2005.[6] He attended the Millennium Conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York City in 2005.[5] Prince Guillaume also worked at the European Commission and the Permanent Representation of Luxembourg to the European Union in Brussels in 2012.[5]

The Hereditary Grand Duke is patron of the Luxembourg Cycling Sport Federation, Youth Hostels Central, National Association of Road Victims, Chamber Orchestra of Luxembourg, Youth Harmony Orchestra of the European Union, as well as to Young Entrepreneurs Luxembourg and Special Olympics Luxembourg Associations.[6]

During the summer of 1997, Guillaume participated as a member of Luxembourg Scout Movement in a humanitarian camp in Nepal. He was involved in a reforestation project and other actions for the benefit of less fortunate communities. In 2017, the Hereditary Grand Duke joined the board of directors of the World Scout Foundation to support the development of scouting around the world.[6]

In 1999, he participated in a charitable mission in Aguascalientes to provide the educational and social assistance to young people in one of the most deprived areas in Mexico. After having chaired the Kräizbierg Foundation, which works for people with disabilities, for more than 10 years (2000–2011), the Hereditary Grand Duke accepted the title of honorary president in March 2011.[6]

Since 18 January 2016, the Hereditary Grand Duke has been a member of the board of directors of Europäische Stiftung Kaiserdom zu Speyer Foundation.[6] He is also a member of the board of directors of the Fondation du Grand-Duc et de la Grande-Duchesse.[6]

On 8 October 2024, as had been announced by Grand Duke Henri on his Official Birthday that year, Prince Guillaume was appointed as lieutenant representative (regent).[7] Under this capacity, he assumed a number of his father's constitutional powers,[8] such as the swearing in of ambassadors and the signing of Grand Ducal Decrees. This is traditionally the first step in the abdication process in Luxembourg.[9] On 24 December 2024, the Grand Duke announced in his Christmas message his intention to abdicate in favour of Hereditary Grand Guillaume on 3 October 2025.[10]

Marriage and fatherhood

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On interviews for his 30th birthday, he stated that he was in a relationship with a "dear miss" that had been going strong for more than a year but needed more time to evaluate their possible future. On 26 April 2012, the court announced the engagement of the Hereditary Grand Duke to the Belgian Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy.[11] The civil wedding took place on Friday, 19 October 2012; the religious wedding took place on Saturday, 20 October 2012, at the Notre-Dame Cathedral.[12]

Guillaume and Stéphanie have two sons, named Charles (born 10 May 2020) and François Henri Louis Marie Guillaume (born 27 March 2023), who are second and third in the line of succession to the throne of Luxembourg, respectively.[13][14]

Interests

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Guillaume is interested in music and sports; he plays the piano and enjoys football, swimming and volleyball. He speaks Luxembourgish, French, German, Spanish and English. He regularly represents his parents in many foreign activities.[2]

Titles and style

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Styles of
The Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Reference styleHis Royal Highness
Spoken styleYour Royal Highness

His style and title in full is: His Royal Highness Prince Guillaume Jean Joseph Marie, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Hereditary Prince of Nassau, Prince of Bourbon-Parma.[15]

Honours

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See also: List of honours of the Luxembourgish Grand-Ducal Family by country
Country Date Appointment Ribbon Other
 Luxemburg 11 December 1999 Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau [16]
Grand Cross of Order of Adolphe of Nassau [17]
23 June 2012 Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown
 Belgium Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown
 France Grand Officer of the Order of the Legion of Honour
 Italy Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic [18][19]
 Netherlands Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau
Recipient of the King Willem-Alexander Inauguration Medal
 Portugal 23 May 2017 Grand Cross of the Order of Aviz [20]
 Senegal 24 February 2023 Commander of the National Order of the Lion
 Slovakia Grand Officer of the Order of the White Double Cross [21]
 United Kingdom 22 September 2020 Recipient of the Sandhurst Medal [22]

Awards

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Foreign

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Droits de Succession: Ordre successoral". Cour Grand-Ducale de Luxembourg. Maréchalat de la Cour. 6 June 2011. Archived from the original on 3 June 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Le Grand-Duc Héritier". Grand Ducal Court of Luxembourg.
  3. ^ a b c d "CURRICULUM VITAE OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE HEREDITARY GRAND DUKE OF LUXEMBOURG" (PDF). Grand Ducal Court of Luxembourg (official). Luxembourg: Cour Grand Ducale. 9 November 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 June 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020. Prince Guillaume attended primary school in Lorentzweiler and continued his education in the Lycée Robert Schuman until the fourth year of Luxembourgish secondary education. Then he pursued his studies at the Le Rosey Institute and at the Collège Beausoleil in the Swiss Alps, where he passed his French Baccalaureate in 2001. From September 2001 until August 2002, the Hereditary Grand Duke accomplished his Officer training at the Sandhurst Royal Military Academy in the United Kingdom....In 2009, the Hereditary Grand Duke graduated with honours with a Bachelor's degree in Humanities and Languages, specialising in Political Science, at the University of Angers (France).
  4. ^ "H.R.H. Guillaume the hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg". University of Luxembourg. Luxembourg: Université du Luxembourg. Archived from the original on 9 December 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020. After his military training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Guillaume studied history and politics at the University of Durham, at Brunel University in London and at the University of Angers in France.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "S.A.R. le Grand-Duc héritier" [HRH The Hereditary Grand Duke]. The Luxembourg Grand Ducal House Official Website (in French). Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Le Grand-Duc Héritier" [The Hereditary Grand Duke]. Cour Grand-Ducale de Luxembourg (in French). Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  7. ^ Cour Grand-Ducale [@CourGrandDucale] (9 July 2024). "S.A.R. le Grand-Duc héritier comme lieutenant-représentant de S.A.R. le Grand-Duc aura lieu dans l'après-midi du mardi 8 octobre 2024" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  8. ^ Cour Grand-Ducale [@CourGrandDucale] (23 June 2024). "An deem Kontext well ech, mat der #GrandeDuchesse, dem Prenz Guillaume an der Prinzessin Stephanie, iech matdeelen, dass ech decideiert hun desen October dem Prenz Gullaume d'Lieutenance ze iwerdroen" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. ^ "A tradition of abdication - Luxembourg & the Netherlands". 28 June 2024.
  10. ^ GB News [@GBNEWS] (24 December 2024). "The Grand Duke of Luxembourg announces he is to abdicate on 3 October 2025 in favour of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ^ "Guillaume et Stéphanie se financent demain". Luxemburger Wort. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
  12. ^ Nikkhah, Roya (20 October 2012). "Luxembourg's royal wedding draws regal guest list". The Telegraph.
  13. ^ "Luxembourg royal baby boy born on Sunday". luxtimes.lu. 10 May 2020. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  14. ^ "Hereditary Grand Ducal couple announces birth of new baby". today.rtl.lu. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  15. ^ Actualités: S.A.R le Prince Guillaume devient le Grand-Duc Héritier Archived 25 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine – Official website of the Luxembourg Government
  16. ^ a b "Honorary distinctions of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg" (PDF). Service Information et Presse. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  17. ^ Princes and Princesses of the Grand-Ducal House of Luxembourg are Grand Crosses of the Order by birth but the decoration is worm only after they reach their majority (18 years old)[16]
  18. ^ quirinale.it
  19. ^ Gazzetta Ufficiale
  20. ^ "ENTIDADES ESTRANGEIRAS AGRACIADAS COM ORDENS PORTUGUESAS – Página Oficial das Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas".
  21. ^ Slovak republic website, State honours Archived 13 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine (click on "Holders of the Order of the 2nd Class White Double Cross" to see the holders' table) : 2nd Class received by Hereditary Grand-Duke in 2005, i.e. during the state visit Archived 24 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine (French) of Grand-Duke, Grand-Duchess & Hereditary Grand-Duke in Slovakia (7 September 2005).
  22. ^ "Grand Duke, Hereditary Grand Duke Awarded Sandhurst Medal". Chronicle.lu. 23 September 2020.
  23. ^ HRH Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg awarded Bronze Wolf for exceptional service to Scouting
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg.
Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Cadet branch of the House of Nassau
Born: 11 November 1981
Lines of succession
First in line Line of succession to the Luxembourger throne Succeeded by
Preceded by Line of succession to
the French throne (Legitimist)
44th position
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