TROUNWIESSEL: Guillaume V succeeds Henri as Grand Duke of Luxembourg

A historic day unfolded in the world's last remaining Grand Duchy on Friday, 3 October 2025. Luxembourg's Monarch, Grand Duke Henri abdicated in favor of his son, Prince Guillaume, after almost 25 years on the throne. He succeeded immediately as Guillaume V, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Duke of Nassau, and was sworn in as Head of State at the Chamber of Deputies, next door to The Grand Ducal Palace. Guillaume, 43, who has served as his father's Regent for one year, became the world's youngest Sovereign Monarch, while his 5-year-old firstborn son, Prince Charles, is the youngest heir apparent to a State Leader. The "Change of the Throne", formally confirmed last Christmas after months in the planning, was celebrated for three days, from October 3 to 5. Friday's official ceremonies, public events & banquet were attended by foreign Monarchs & Heads of State from Europe in Luxembourg City, while the weekend's events included an accession tour of the new Sovereign Couple across the country, and a solemn Thanksgiving Service at Notre Dame's Cathedral. Guillaume V is the seventh Monarch of autonomous Luxembourg (since 1890), fourth to succeed the throne by a voluntary abdication of his predecessor.

The big day began Friday (October 3) at 9:30am. Crowds had been gathering in front of the palace from early on. The outgoing Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa arrived at the Grand Ducal Palace and greeted their foreign guests one-by-one. King Willem-Alexander & Queen Maxima of The Netherlands and Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, as well as (Henri's first cousin) King Philippe & Queen Mathilde of The Belgians and Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant, were in attendance. The EU institutions were represented by The Presidents of European Council (Antonio Costa) and European Parliament (Roberta Metsola). Shortly before 10:00am, the outgoing and incoming Grand Ducal Couples enterred the ceremonial Hall, where The Marshall of The Grand Ducal Court, Sasha Baillie, welcomed everyone and launched The Abdication Ceremony. Henri was soon invited to seat on his guilt edged desk and sign the instrument of his abdication, which he did at 10:06'. The decree was then counter-signed by The Prime Minister, Luc Frieden. As The Marshall of The Court read the document aloud, the flag with the Standard of Grand Duke Henri outside the palace was lowered for the final time. His reign had officially ended, four day short of reaching a full 25 years; it had started on 7 October 2000.

The now retired Monarch came back to his seat and exchange an emotional look and warm embrace with his eldest son, who had now become Grand Duke. Guillaume, visibly moved but calm, also embraced his mother, as did his wife Stephanie, who succeeded Maria Teresa as Grand Duchess Consort. The ceremony was over after Frieden honored the 70-year-old former Monarch, whose final prime minister of reign he had the honour to be. He praised Grand Duke Henri for carrying out a "perfect balance" between " dignity and warmth, seriousness and openness, formality and humanity" and remarked that Luxembourg's history can no longer be told without a chapter dedicated to his reign of almost full, 25 years. He also praised Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, 69, for her commitment to humanitarian causes both at home and abroad. Henri was warmly applauded by all those in attendance and looked very emotional. Within a hour he was seen with his wife leading their grandson, little Prince Charles to The Chamber of Deputies, where he himself was sworn in a quarter century before, and now was showing it to the new heir to the throne, who will one day have to go through the same.

All of the distinguished guests walked the barely 100-meter distance from The Grand Ducal Palace to the parliamentary building on a red carpet, bowing their heads to a guard of honor, standing in between. Apart from royal & European guests, and members of The Royal Family of Luxembourg, the investiture ceremony was also attended by all 60 Deputies (MPs), including members of the coalition government (Christian Social People's Party and Democratic Party), and the living former Prime Ministers (all those who served under Henri's reign included). The ceremony took off at 11:00am, just after the arrival of the new Grand Duke and Grand Duchess into the chamber under the rendition of "Wilhelmus", the Royal Anthem of The House of Nassau-Weilburg. As The Royal Couple took their seats on The (170-year-old) Throne, restored & rebranded since 1964, The Prime Minister and Chamber Speaker Clause Wiseler addressed them in turn, expressing their hopes of Grand Duke Guillaume being a symbol of national unity and independence, especially during times "our values" are challenged and everyone will turn to Guillaume's "dignity and integrity" and Stephanie's role "rooted in the hearts of the people" - Wiseler said.

Following his address, The President of The Chamber of Deputies invited The Grand Duke to take his oath of office. It was 11:16'am. Guillaume, wearing his green ceremonial uniform and yellow shash (the same as his father's) stood to the microphone, raised his right hand, and repeated after Wiseler: "I swear to observe the Constitution and the Laws, and to faithfully carry out my Constitutional role". An extended applause followed as Grand Duke Guillaume's tenure as Head of State had formally begun. Everyone applauded but Prince Charles, who comfortably seated on his chair next to his grandparents, trying to contemplate what his father was saying, as he took part in his enthronement, forging his own role as first in line to the only Sovereign Grand Duchy at the age of just five years old. This was the first oath of office under the revised Constitution of 2022, with Guillaume V inaugurated as constitutional monarch, politically neutral, and pledged to steadfastly defend the "fundamental democratic principles". Repeating the 1919 accession words of his great-grandmother, Grand Duchess Charlotte, Guillaume V said: "I will live the life of my people, from whom I do not wish to be separated by any barrier. I will share their joys and sufferings".

The newly-enthroned Grand Duke spoke in his turn and delivered his first address as Sovereign. In 16 minutes, Guillaume voiced his vision, acknowledged the role of The Monarchy nowadays, referred on the challenges and advantages of Luxembourgish society and paid tribute to some of his predecessors. He praised the ability of Luxembourg to adapt to challenges while stating that "pride must never give way to complacency". Referring to the multicultural society (Luxembourg's nearly 50% of population being multinational) Guillaume V referred to this as an asset, while expressing his wish to built more bridges between people, as he believes in "openness, diversity, tolerance, and solidarity". He, however, warned that the use of AI must never replace "our creativity or weaken our critical spirit", and reaffirmed his commitment to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged, as well as his strong sense of community. The Grand Duke said that his wife, Grand Duchess Stéphanie, 41, will continue to support him, "while also setting her own priorities"; and concluded by acknowledging the role played by his parents and late grandfather, Grand Duke Jean - reigned from 1964 to 2000 - who left on him "a profound mark".

The Investiture ceremony concluded with the performance of European Union's and Luxembourgish National Anthems. During the latter, "Ons Heemecht" (our Homeland), the new Royal Standard, consisting of two symmetrical letters "G", mirroring each other beneath a crown, was raised outside the building. Guillaume & Stephanie warmly greeted their predecessors and Parliament heads, and signed the guest-book in a nearby room before leaving the Chamber building, holding their son, (Crown) Prince Charles by hand. Under a musical salute by Luxembourgish military band, Their Royal Highnesses went back to The Palace, where they were joined by the Royal guests for a balcony appearance at 12:15'. First The Grand Ducal Couple alone, then joined by both their young sons (with their youngest, two-year-old Prince François in the arms of his mother) and then - to an extended public enthusiasm - by Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa. To complete the Royal Family, Guillaume's siblings Princes Felix, Louis, Sebastien and pregnant Princess Alexandra came along with spouces; before giving their place to The Dutch and Belgian Sovereign Couples and Heiresses Aparent.

The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess quickly changed to more comfortable clothes and left the Grand Ducal Palace once again, greeting the public (& high-fiving children) on their way to The City Hall, where the participants were welcomed at 1:10pm by Luxembourg City Mayor, Lydie Polfer, at the entrance. She commended Guillaume's eagerness to listen the people and past experience from his ecomonic missions, and expressed her confidence that he will "master this in an exemplary manner". Everyone signed the guest book and continued their walkabout at 1:25 to Cercle Cite, greeting people on their way. A private reception with members of the government at 1:50' was slightly delayed due to the amount of crowds wishing to interact with the new Grand Ducal Couple. Friday, October 3, 2025, was concluded with a Gala Dinner at The Palace at 7:00pm. The new Royal Couple welcomed their official guests, to whom The Presidential Couples of France and Germany were added. Their Majesties and Their Royal Highnesses posed together for an official portrait before proceeding to the dining hall. In his toast to his counterparts, Guillaume V once again named his past predecessors, Grand Duchess Charlotte (1896 - 1985) and Grand Duke Jean (1921 - 2019) - who contributed for Luxembourg during its most difficult times - as his role models; while he also stated that his role is to also tackle challenges of today, apart from preserving past traditions. His Royal Highness combined his vision of an inclusive, cohesive, and solidary free society to the European Union's values of freedom, democracy and equality, expressing his wish to uphold all those values together. He concluded in raising his glass for his parents.

Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stéphanie embarked on their full-day inaugural tour across Luxembourg (Dem Grand-Duc seng feierlech Tournee) on Saturday, October 4, 2025. They visited four municipal cities from noon to evening, two of them - Wiltz and Dudelange - (alongside Luxembourg City) held public celebrations throughout the day, as the "three ends of the country". The Royal Couple saw a sports' show in Grevermacher, a diversity performance and community event in Wiltz (together with their sons), interacted with patients, staff and volunteers at an intercommunal hospital in Steinfort, and were treated with more choreographed dance & musical performances in Southern Dudelange before returning to Luxembourg City. There, the grand finale took place starting after 8pm, as The Royal Couple led a procession of 2,000 Luxembougrians and 8 trams across Grand Duchess Charlotte ("Red") Bridge accompanied by a dynamic orchestra. Guillaume remarked the collective character of "our identity" celebration before a spectacular 8-minute, 325-drone show flying over Luxembourg City despite warnings over bad weather. It took place on Glacis Square and was followed by a special concert, showcasting the diversity of Luxembourg's musical scene. The third and final day of the, celebrations Sunday, October 5 (2025) saw a nationwide Catholic Te Deum (Thanksgiving) Service at 11:00am at Luxembourg City's Notre Dame Cathedral, with the entire Royal Family in attendance. It was celebrated by The Archbishop of Luxembourg, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, who delivered a sermon, expressing his confidence to the new Grand Duke, gratitude to the retired, and support to the Monarchy. The 1,5 hour service concluded with The National Anthem, ending the Trounwiessel events.

The 'Trounwiessel' or "Change [Succession] of The Throne" in Luxembourg has been through abdication since 1919. Both Grand Duchess Charlotte and Grand Duke Jean appointed their sons as Lieutenant-Representative to prepare for their role as Head of State in the years before it occured (in 1961 and 1998, respectively). Grand Duke Henri followed the same suit in 2024. Grand Duke Guillaume - educated in political sciences & diplomacy - considers himself a bridge builder, while his Belgian-born wife, Stéphanie (née Countess de Lannoy) has been dedicating herself to music, charity, and children. Their own sons are still too young, in comparison to Guillaume, who was 18 when his father succeeded the throne. However, their can get assistance from the now retired & relatively young Grand Duke Henri (who will continue being a member of International Olympic Comittee) and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa. The Cuban-born former Consort shares passions about children and charities with her daughter in law, although her staff was involved in controversy in 2020 over mishandling their employees, according to the Waringo report. The issue has since been settled and a transparent inquiry over future staff conduct established. The new Grand Ducal Couple completely renewed the suites (staff). Monarchy in Luxembourg has been popular with around 69% of support according to a recent survey by Politmonitor. The latest Referendum over the form of government was held under Grand Duchess Charlotte in 1919. Guillaume V is the tenth Grand Duke of Luxembourg since 1815, his first three namesakes, having been Kings of The Netherlands (Willem I, II, & III); the throne passed to the collateral branch when Netherlands got a Queen, due to a male-only succession in Luxembourg at the time.

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