Read our full life story on the Luxembourg royal.
Maria Teresa Mestre was born in 1956 in Havana, Cuba, to a noble yet untitled Spanish-descendant family. Following the Cuban Revolution, her family fled to New York before settling in Geneva, where she became a Swiss citizen and later studied Political Science at the University of Geneva. There, she met Prince Henri of Luxembourg, and despite some resistance from the Grand Ducal family, they married in 1981. They have five children and eight grandchildren together.
As Grand Duchess, Maria Teresa has dedicated her life to humanitarian work, focusing on children, education, and women’s rights, continuing her passion for social causes both before and after joining the royal family. She has also been an ambassador for UNESCO since 1997 and was appointed Eminent Advocate for Children by UNICEF in 2007.
Her passions include floral decorations, art, architecture and culture.
