Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume has announced plans for a privately funded annexe to Berg Castle, aiming to provide an intimate home for his family as he prepares to assume the role of Grand Duke, with widespread support from local officials and residents in Colmar-Berg.

Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume last week announced plans for a new annexe to the existing castle in Colmar-Berg, in which he intends to move with his wife and children as he is poised to assume the role of Grand Duke in the near future. "We want our children to grow up in an intimate and familiar environment. That is why we planned, with the blessing of the Grand Duke and the government, to build an annexe on the grounds of Berg Castle."

The announcement letter further clarified that no public funds will be used for the construction project.

Following the announcement, local officials expressed support for the future home of Prince Guillaume. Speaking to RTL, Colmar-Berg Mayor Mandy Arendt explained that the general and particular building plans still have to pass through all the necessary channels, but conveyed that the municipal council already unanimously approved initial steps last week.

Colmar-Berg residents now have 30 days to voice concerns about the project, but first instances of feedback have been positive, according to Mayor Arendt. "The people are happy that we'll have Prince Guillaume and Princess Stéphanie living here", drawing attention to the fact that the couple represents a new generation of younger parents that will fit right in.

Aspects of the couple's building plans are expected to delay the beginning of construction by at least three more months, and the Grand Ducal family will still have to submit a formal request to the local council – although Mayor Arendt is confident that everything will work according to plan.

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The state owns the land on which Berg Castle stands, as well as the grounds on which the annexe is meant to be built. Since his first announcement, Prince Guillaume has underlined that the entire cost of the construction project would be covered by private, and not public funds, allowing the new building to remain in the hands of the Grand Ducal family even if the Hereditary couple no longer lives there.

In conversation with RTL, Mayor Arendt stressed that the annexe would have the same style as the existing castle and not be a "square cube" as one often sees nowadays. The municipality intends to closely cooperate with the Grand Ducal family on the project.