'Of course I won't leave Luxembourg,' says outgoing Grand Duchess

Although it is common for monarch's wives to engage in charity work, the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg has been particularly active on this front. Maria Teresa, who raised five children, has dedicated much of her time and energy to a wide range of causes, whether through the Grand Duke's and Grand Duchess' Foundation or the association Stand Speak Rise Up!.

Her huband stepping down won't deter her from her commitments, however. "I will continue [...] by overseeing social projects, particularly concerning single-parent families, especially women who find themselves alone and facing very difficult situations."

A new foundation named after the Grand Ducal couple

"I am obviously not going to leave Luxembourg, nor the Luxembourgers, who are so dear to my heart",  she continues. As to what's next, the Grand Duchess explained she would continue her various initiatives via her foundation after her son's coronation.

"Over the last 40 years, we have completed many projects for the most vulnerable, acting as a last resort when there really was no other solution left. It is to the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess that people write to ask for help, and it has been my honor to be able to provide support in situations that were sometimes truly desperate."

However, the foundation's work won't stop with the accession. "When I realised that the foundation has become the last resort for those who no longer knew where to turn, my children and I understood, that this was something that should be passed on to the new Grand Ducal couple. I decided to hand over urgent, last-resort, requests  to the new foundation that Guillaume and Stéphanie are going to establish, and for which I have agreed to let go of the wonderful team I was working with."

The foundation will be renamed after 3 October to become the Henri–Maria Teresa Foundation, with some of its major initiatives continuing, such as the Dyslexia Forum that Prince Louis will run. "It is important for parents, teachers, and above all for the children to hear that we will continue to address children's learning difficulties and support them."

Another major focus of the Grand Duchess's work is the association Stand Speak Rise Up!. Since its creation in 2019, as well as since an international forum organised with the support of Stéphane Bern and Chékéba Hachemi, the association has been supporting survivors of sexual violence in conflict zones and children born of sexual assault.

"The sad reality is that the issue of rape as a weapon of war has, over these past five or six years, become far, far worse. We are very active in many countries. We have specific and concrete projects with our survivors where we help them rebuild their lives, find employment, and secure housing."

Among the association's other missions, advocacy plays a major role. Stand Speak Rise Up! is preparing a legal review in Luxembourg with prominent Luxembourg and international jurists, who will also benefit from the expertise of international specialists such as Dr Mukwege or Pramila Patten of the United Nations. This legal review will compile precise information on the use of rape as a weapon of war and on how to raise awareness and provide assistance.

The Grand Duchess assures she will remain "very active," though more in the background, holding a new position. "A position that I look forward to, because it will give me more freedom and time to devote to my passions, my foundations and the association Stand Speak Rise Up!"

A 'great joy' to have served Luxembourg

The Grand Duchess also commented on the upcoming accession of her son. "We are extremely proud of our son that he is taking up the torch, and that he is doing so at the same age my husband did. It is a wonderful age, a great age, when one is still young enough to take on a responsibility whose physical, emotional, and mental demands are often underestimated."

As to her own time as Grand Duchess, she reflects on the role with enthusiasm. "For me, it has been, and will remain, a great joy to have served Luxembourg and its people, and I will continue to do so in other ways, more in the background, but still very actively, with a lot of enthusiasm and love."