It is not an abdication, nor does it imply a proclamation and the crown prince will continue to be the crown prince, however, something is going to change in the Luxembourg monarchy, different from the rest of the European royal houses. This October 8, Grand Duke Henry of Luxembourg will delegate part of his powers and functions to his eldest son, Prince William, who will become his father’s “Lieutenant” in a ceremony that will begin in the Grand Ducal Palace and continue in the Congress of Deputies. A unique generational change on a European throne, in which the father wants to demonstrate the trust he has placed in his son, but without giving him the head of the State for the moment.
You have to go to article 42 of the Constitution of Luxembourg, a microstate of 2,600 square kilometers between France, Germany and Belgium that does not exceed one million inhabitants, to find the figure of the “Lieutenant of the Grand Duke”, which is a figure that The Grand Duke himself can appoint to be represented and whose only requirement is to be a prince of royal blood of the Nassau dynasty and reside in the country. It can be said that it is a kind of positive regency, since no misfortune has to occur for someone to reign temporarily, for which they will have to take the oath to observe the Constitution in the Congress of Deputies before exercising their powers. powers, a ceremony that is scheduled for this October 8 and in which there will be no shortage of the usual walking tour that the Ducal Family usually takes.
It is still not known what will happen next, that is, it is unknown what tasks will be left in the hands of Prince William since he takes the oath on October 8, for how long and what will happen next. Although several possible scenarios are contemplated, such as this being the prelude to a total transfer of powers that could arrive in 2025, when Enrique de Luxembourg completes his quarter of a century at the head of the institution. On the other hand, it is also worth noting that Prince William still has two very young children, Charles, the next heir, who was born in 2022, and François, who came into the world a year later, so this mechanism allows his wife, Princess Estefanía, to remain for a while longer having a secondary role within the institution.
© MGD“Transmission and trust are two essential elements in the relationship with my son. At some point I plan to retire, it’s obvious.”
“I think it is very important to give young people an opportunity. Transmission and trust are two essential elements in my relationship with my son. At some point I plan to retire. “That is evident,” Grand Duke Enrique commented in the interview he gave on the program Place Royale on RTL last April on the occasion of his 69th birthday, statements that suggest that this broadcast could be nothing more than a more intense phase of the crown prince’s training for his future as head of state. Meanwhile, for the Grand Duke, it is an opportunity to slow down.
© MGD / PANCAKE! PhotographyIt should be noted that this “lieutenancy” is not a peculiarity of this generation, since Grand Duke Henry held this role for two years before his father, John of Luxembourg, abdicated in his favor in 2000; and in turn, John of Luxembourg served as Lieutenant for his mother, the Grand Duchess Charlotte, who abdicated after 45 years on the throne, being the Grand Duchess with the longest tenure in a family that does not have a tradition of “reigning.” ” until the end.
William of Luxembourg studied International Politics in the United Kingdom and graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
© MGD / Claude PiscitelliA constitutional and parliamentary monarchy, the grand duke is the cornerstone of an institutional system that complies with the maxim that “the sovereign reigns but does not govern”, so he is the representative of the country’s identity, a symbol of its independence, unity. of the territory and the permanence of the State. Among its functions are to promulgate laws, issue the decrees necessary for their execution, organize administrative services, and appoint certain civil and military positions. The Constitution reserves the right to pardon sentences handed down by judges and can also dismiss ministers, a right that has never been applied.
