DEATH & STATE FUNERAL OF FORMER GRAND DUKE JEAN OF LUXEMBOURG

His Royal Highness Jean, former Grand Duke of Luxembourg (& world's oldest surviving monarch), passed away at 00:25' (CEST) of Tuesday, 23 April 2019, at the age of 98. His state funeral took place on Saturday, May 4, at 11am, at Luxembourg's Notre Dame Cathedral & he was laid to rest at its royal crypt, later that day.

The former monarch, who reigned over the country from 1964 to 2000, died in hospital, where he was admitted ten days earlier with a pulmonary infection.

At first his condition was seen to stabilize, however it rapidly deteriorated from (Easter) Saturday night (April 20) with family members gathering at his bedside.

Grand Duke Jean (sitting centre) with some members
of his family, marking his 98th birthday (last January)

He is survived by an extended family of 5 children, 21 (living) grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren & a younger sister. His wife, Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte, predeceased him by 14 years.

The late Grand Duke Jean (left) with his son, Grand Duke Henri

The death was announced in the early morning of Tuesday through a brief statement by his son, current Grand Duke Henri, who revealed that his 'beloved father' "left us in peace, surrounded by the affection of his family".

Later that day, Prime Minister Xavier Bettel officially announced Grand Duke Jean's passing in a televised address.
Bettel paid his tribute to the deceased, describing him as a statesman, (WWII) hero, & role model, whom Luxembourg will be always grateful to.

National mourning was declared until Saturday May 4, 6pm, with all of the flags flown at half mast at official buildings & all local schools & education centres closed on the day of the funeral. Meanwhile, the Grand Ducal Court declared a mourning period of six weeks.

Tributes poured in by leaders, organizations, & fellow monarchs.

EU commission's President Jean-Claude Juncker (one of Jean's Prime Ministers), praised former Grand Duke's committments & described his death as 'a big loss for Europe'.
Numerous mourning expressions & memorial dedications, including bell-ringing in sombre tone by local churches, postponement of important governmental activities, concerts & religious services in his memory took place during the first days.

Floral tributes outside Palais Grand-Ducale

Luxembourg's Archbishop & City Mayor, UK & US Ambassadors, were among those remembering His Royal Highness for both his contribution in WWII & the recreation of modern Luxembourg.

MUDAM (Musée d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean), the local Museum of Modern Arts stated it was proud to bear his name. It was opened by him in 2006.

Grand Duke Jean visits MUDAM - photos (here & bellow) by the Grand Ducal Court

In the meantime, funeral arrangements were finalised as well.

His Late Royal Highness' coffin was moved from Colmar-Berg residence (Jean's birthplace) to the formal Grand Ducal Palace (Luxembourg City) on Sunday (April 28).

The cortege arriving to Palais Grand-Ducale

The cortege left castle at 2:30pm & passed slowly through the city streets (lined by well-wishers), arriving to the palace by 15:00.

Then Grand Duke Jean's (open) casket was laid at the palace' chapel, where his five children & some grandchildren bade him their farewell.

Grand Duke Jean's body lying-in-state

He lay-in-state there for the next five days - Monday (April 29) to Friday (May 3). Members of the government & VIP's paid their last respects in intervals, while general public was allowed in concrete hours:

Monday: 2-7pm, Tuesday: 10am-12 & 2-7pm, Wednesday: 10am-7pm, Thursday: 10am-12 & 2-7pm, and Friday: 10am-12 & 2-4pm.

In the days, leading up to the funeral, further tributes were paid to the departed statesman.

On Saturday, May 4, & just for the day of his funeral, special post stamps were released, depicting a skerch-portrait of Grand Duke Jean, along with the dates of his birth, death & burial.
The same day, Grand Duke Henri published an open letter to Luxembourgish citizens, talking about the late Grand Duke Jean.

The Sovereign of Luxembourg paid tribute to his father, saying that he 'was always there for his family', along with official obligations.

Henri also recalled Jean's 'joy for life', good humour & enthusiastic interest for everything happening in Luxembourg & within his family until the very end.

He described him as the centre of three generations & concluded in a more personal tone, thanking his dad for everything he did for them & telling they are proud for having had him.

Solemn session for Grand Duke Jean at the Parliament

A day earlier, MP's chaired a special session in HRH's memory, where his grandson, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume spoke.

Saturday (May 4) was cold, rainy day. Neverthenless thousands of people braved the rain & lined the streets from early morning to catch a glimpse of the funeral procession. The service was broadcasted live & shown on large screens outside the Cathedral.

Royals, politicians, former state leaders & VIP's honoured the late Grand Duke with their attendance. Senior members of the Belgian Royal family (where his late wife came from) were all present.

In addition, monarchs from Denmark, Sweden, Norway & Monaco, former monarchs of Spain, The Netherlands & Andorra, royal representatives of UK, Liechtenstein, Jordan & Morocco, members of defunct royal houses (ie: Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Austria, France, Germany, Albania & Portugal), attended as well.

400 seats in the Cathedral were available - per Grand Duke's wishes - for members of the public, all registered on Monday, April 29.

The coffin of Grand Duke Jean, drapped in Luxembourg's royal flag & with the Coat-of-Arms of the House of Nassau framed in front, left the Grand Ducal Palace for the last time at ~11:10am.

It was carried on a howitzer gun-carriage, slowly pulled by a military vehicle of Luxembourgish Army.

Grand Duke Henri & the rest of senior royal family followed in a slow procession by-foot.

On the coffin's arrival to the Cathedral

21-gun-salutes were fired as they left the palace, with military & police delegations (& the emsemble) joined the funeral procession.

It reached the Cathedral in ~10 minutes' time; the coffin (& seal), placed on a blue platform, was transported inside, with military regiment & Boy' Scouts lining a guard of honor in the entrance.

As the casket made its way to the central catafalque, under the sounds of the Royal anthem De Wilhelmus, family members bowed to it & took their seats.

All of Grand Duke Jean's children, in-laws, & grandchildren (& even his three oldest great-grandchildren) were in attendance.

Then, the pontifical mass was celebrated. It was presided over by Archbishop Jean-Claude Kasujja. He eulogised the late former Grand Duke in three languages (Luxembourgish, Franch & English), speaking about his love of Luxembourg, that it gave him back over the last two weeks. He compared Jean's entrance to heaven with climbing into a high mountain, for a (Holy) meal.

During the ceremony, Grand Duke Jean's elder & younger child - Archduchess Marie-Astrid of Austria & Prince Guillaume - delivered readings in French & Luxembourgish.

Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume delivers his intercession

Five of his grandchildren (the eldest from each of his child), also read intercessions of short prayers, in all the abovementioned languages. Several Catholic prayers, orchestral & choir's pieces consisted the religious service, ended with Luxembourg's official national anthem "Ons Heemecht" (Our Homeland).

A special tribute was paid to Grand Duke Jean as a former member (& Collonel) of the Irish Guards, with bagpipes joining the Orchestra in playing the Highland Cathedral - both during the Holy Communion, and as the flag-drapped casket left the Cathedral.

Following the 1 &1/2 hour of emotional service, the world's oldest monarch was privately laid to rest at the royal crypt (beneath the Cathedral), next to his wife, parents & other predeceased family members.

His mortal remains were placed next to a decorative sarcophagus in the middle of the crypt room, in the presence of his family & former King Albert II & Queen Paola of Belgium (Jean's siblings-in-law); and buried here later the same day.

Post-funeral reception

After this solemn event was finished too, the Grand Ducal family returned to the palace, where they hosted a reception for the most of royal guests, in a more relaxed atmosphere on this time.

Grand Duke Jean's Order of Garter's banner (centre).

Grand Duke Jean had been the 948th Stranger member of the British chivalry Order of Garter.
His personal banner was removed from St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle (UK), on the day of his death. That of the Swedish Order of Seraphim was taken away from Stockholm's Royal palace's chapel after the customary Ringing of the Seraphim service, on the funeral day.

Jean (then Hereditary Grand Duke) in his youth

Jean Benoît Robert Guillaume Antoine Louis Maria Adolphe Marc d'Aviano (as his full name was), born on 5 January 1921, fought in WWII in the Allied Forces, participated in the Normandy campaign and held the rank of Colonel of Britain's Irish guards from 1984. Having reigned from the abdication of his mother to his own one, through a period of prosperity, he had also become the oldest living sovereign monarch & 7th oldest-living state leader in the world by the time of his death.

See also the obituary publication of His late Royal Highness Grand Duke Jean (1921-2019):
https://royaleventsintheword.blogspot.com/2019/04/statesman-veteran-patriarch-jean-1921.html
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This story was updated last time on Thursday; 9 May 2019.

More Photos from this sombre ocassion:

Death announcement by Grand Duke Henri

Portrait, published by the Grand Ducal Court

flags, flying at half-mast in Grand Duke Jean's memory

Statement from the Royal family of The Netherlands

Grand Duke Jean & his wife, Grand Duchess Josephine-
Charlotte (1927-2005), a Princess of Belgium by birth;
published by the Belgian Monarchy's website

Message of Condolence by Queen Elizabeth II of UK

Japan's abdicating Emperor Akihito & Empress Michiko signing condolences
for the late Grand Duke Jean at the Luxembourgish Embassy, in Tokyo

Grand Duke Jean's funeral cortege (28/04)

Family bids farewell (28/04)

First list (in French,) of foreign monarchs & royals, attending the funeral

Parliament session in honor of Grand Duke Jean, the day before his funeral

Portrait, published by the Grand-Ducal Court

Grand Duke Jean (sitting) with Grand DUke Henri (standing)

GD Jean with his late wife GD Josephine-Charlotte (left) & the couples of her regnal
(& future regnal) Belgian siblings: King Baudouin & Queen Fabiola (centre);
(future) King Albert II & Queen Paola (right).