Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stéphanie arrived in Wormeldange at 2.40pm on Friday, where they were greeted by Chamber President Claude Wiseler, Minister of the Economy and Tourism Lex Delles, and Wormeldange Mayor Claude Pundel.
They then set off together with Minister for Home Affairs Léon Gloden and the mayors of the 21 Moselle municipalities, boarding the ship Princesse Marie-Astrid bound for Ehnen. A crowd of spectators was already awaiting the Grand Ducal couple.
At exactly 3pm, the ship docked in Ehnen. After signing the Marie-Astrid's guest book, the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess disembarked to begin the festivities on land.
Upon arrival, the couple was welcomed by seven-year-old Lena, who presented the Grand Duchess with a bouquet of flowers. Following this, 110 pupils from Cycle 3 performed the song "Mir wénke rout-wäiss-blo", which they had been rehearsing since the start of the school year, as a musical greeting to the royals.
With glorious summer weather and temperatures nearing 30°C, many people gathered in Ehnen, waving red, white, and blue flags. Many residents of the Moselle region were eager not to miss the Joyeuse Entrée of Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stéphanie.
The next stop was the Puddel site, where the Grand Ducal couple visited the local Miseler Genoss market. Here, they met and chatted with five producers of local goods, learning about their products and activities.
The programme then turned to themes of education, community life, and volunteering, including a meeting with the Wormeldange scouts. Chief Scout Guillaume joined the group to roast marshmallows over a fire and sample the traditional Bouneschlupp with the scouts.
Afterwards, the Grand Ducal couple continued their visit with a stop at the Wormeldange fire brigade.
No Moselle visit would be complete without wine culture: the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess were introduced to the latest innovations in viticulture in the region, including the use of drones and sheep in vineyard management.
At 4.35pm, the closing festivities for the Joyeuse Entrée began in a large festival tent. Before the formal programme, the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess held a special meeting with representatives of care institutions for the elderly.
Among them was 107-year-old Pauline Becker-Blasius, the oldest person in the country, who shook the Grand Duke’s hand and shared a few words with him. She was especially proud to be seated next to the Grand Duke during the closing ceremony, for which the usual protocol was adapted in her honour.
The musical entertainment was provided by the Chorale grand-ducale Sainte Cécile from Wormeldange.
To mark the occasion, the Grand Ducal couple received a painting by artist Mathis Toussaint, which tells both the story of the couple and that of the eastern region of Luxembourg.
The day concluded with a symbolic toast: at the invitation of Wormeldange Mayor Claude Pundel, the royals officially launched the honorary wine of the Moselle with a celebratory drink.
Shortly after 5pm, the Joyeuse Entrée on the Moselle drew to a close for the Grand Ducal couple. The tour will continue in Mersch on 11 June 2027, while another Joyeuse Entrée is planned for Beckerich next year.
