World's Last Reigning Grand Duke Is Abdicating

A monarchy at the heart of Europe is preparing for a generational change. Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg will abdicate the throne on Friday after 25 years as head of state in favor of his eldest son, Guillaume. Henri has filled the largely ceremonial role of grand duke alongside his Cuban-born wife, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, as the government steered the country through troubles like the 2008 financial crisis, the greatest shock to Luxembourg's economy since the 1970s, the AP reports.

• The tall and reserved 70-year-old Henri was educated in France, Switzerland, and at the United Kingdom's military academy Sandhurst. His 43-year-old son followed a similar path—going to school in London, Switzerland, France, and Sandhurst before working in Belgian, German, and Spanish firms. He is married to Belgian-born Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy; they have two sons, ages 5 and 2.

• After his father abdicates in a ceremony at the Grand Ducal Palace, built of yellow stone and decorated with spires and ironwork, Guillaume will be crowned and then will swear an oath to Luxembourg's constitution before the 60 elected members of the Chamber of Deputies, the duchy's parliament. After taking over from his father, Guillaume will tour the small nation, about the size of Rhode Island, and end with a Sunday mass with Archbishop Jean-Claude Hollerich at the Catholic Notre-Dame de Luxembourg cathedral.
• Guillaume will be Luxembourg's seventh grand duke since 1890, when the modern monarchy was established. Complex royal politics, as well as the loss of significant territories over the centuries, have meant Luxembourg is not a kingdom. It is the world's last remaining grand duchy.
• One of the European Union's smallest nations and its richest per capita, Luxembourg is a financial powerhouse that hosts important EU institutions like the European Court of Justice and the European Investment Bank. Guillaume will symbolically head the 1,000-person army of Luxembourg, which was a founding member of NATO.

• Henri laid out the challenges ahead for Guillaume and Luxembourg in his last Christmas speech. "Climate change is probably the greatest challenge of the future, but geopolitical tensions, wars, and economic upheaval also require a need for reflection," he said. Luxembourg is "a crossroads of cultures" with strong traditions of democracy, freedom, and human rights, he said while defending multilateralism as it comes under increased threat across the world. The grand duke "stands above party politics," Henri said. He added, "This does not mean, however, that he cannot take a stand on the fundamental interests of the country and its citizens."
• Christoph Brüll, a historian and professor at the University of Luxembourg, says the grand duke's position is central for protocol, like accrediting ambassadors, "but it's not the grand duke who gives the big orientations in political life, that's the government." He says Guillaume will be stepping into a very traditional role. "His margin of maneuver or right to action is zero. So the only power he has is then the power of speech or words. For the rest, the grand duke will remain a political symbol," he says.