After 25 years as head of state, Grand Duke Henri stepped down at the age of 70. PM Luc Frieden thanked him warmly for decades of loyal service, noting that the country’s modern history could no longer be told without a full chapter dedicated to him.
In the presence of the Belgian and Dutch royal families and senior European guests, the official swearing-in ceremony took place in parliament. Before the representatives of the people, Guillaume took his oath and, in his first speech as sovereign, pledged himself entirely to the country and its citizens.
He vowed to serve everyone living in Luxembourg, to act consistently in the national interest, to listen, help find common solutions, and to carry out his role with integrity and authenticity.
Crowds had gathered in front of the Grand Ducal Palace to greet the new Grand Duke and Grand Duchess with their family. This was followed by a first walkabout and receptions at the town hall and the Cercle Cité.
After a gala dinner at the palace with international state guests, Grand Duke Guillaume embarked on his first official working day: a nationwide tour on a scale never before seen in the Grand Duchy.
The day began in Mersch with demonstrations by local sports associations, focusing on the theme of voluntary work. The tour then moved north to Wiltz, where theatre, music, and video projections reflected the wide diversity of nationalities and cultures found in the country.
At the intermunicipal hospital in Steinfort, Grand Duke Guillaume held personal conversations with elderly residents. Later in Dudelange, he attended an impressive dance performance involving people with disabilities.
The highlight of the day came with a large public celebration on the Grand Duchess Charlotte Bridge and at Glacis. Eight trams carrying around 2,000 people, which represented numerous communities and professions, welcomed the newly enthroned couple.
This symbolic procession from the old to the new, held on the bridge named after Grand Duke Guillaume’s great-grandmother, underscored the connection between the monarchy and the nation as a whole.
A drone show and a concert featuring Luxembourgish artists brought this emotional transition of the throne to a close.
