Wednesday, March 28, 2012

New Pictures

The official website of the cour grand-ducale has new(-ish) pictures of our dear Prince Félix, have a look here. The two coloured and two black-and-white photos were taken by Christian Aschman, who also took the Guillaume's and Alexandra's birthday pictures as well as the wedding anniversary pictures of the grand ducal couple last year. I say newish because I do not believe the trees are that green in Luxembourg this time of the year.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Grand Duke Receives Chief Rabbi

Today, the Grand Duke welcomed Alain Nacache at the palais, the Frenchman became the chief rabbi of Luxembourg in October last year. A picture of the two gentlemen can be found over on the website of the cour.

Source: CGD

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Relay For Life

Yesterday, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa attended the opening of the seventh edition of the Relais pour la vie organised by the Fondation Cancer. The charity run with about 9000 participants takes place at the Coque. The Grand Duchess, who is the honorary president of the foundation, held the opening speech and printed her hand on the wall of solidarity.

Pictures can be found over at Wort, Tageblatt and on the Facebook page of the relais.


Source: Wort

Felix and Claire in Miami

Time to be strong ladies (and gentlemen), last week Felix and his lady friend Claire attended the "Tony Bennett All Star Tennis Event and Benefit Gala" in Miami. First, Felix, alongside famous tennis players like Novak Djokovic, Ana Ivanovic, Caroline Wozniacki and Kim Clijsters, played tennis to benefit a foundation that supports arts education in public high schools, as well as Team Bryan and Greater Miami Tennis & Education Foundation and looked very good while doing it (Pictures: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) while Claire watched from the stands. Later on, the two lovebirds were photographed together. In the evening Mademoiselle Lademacher and the Prince also attended the benefit gala. Another one of them at the restaurant Zuma can be found via Twitter.

More pictures of both events can be found here, here, here and here.


Source: Tony Bennett Event

Friday, March 23, 2012

Dutch State Visit - Day 3

All good things come to an end, so did the state visit of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands to Luxembourg. After two and a half days in the Grand Duchy, the Dutch Queen and her delegation left the country at 1:25 p.m.

Before she left, Queen Beatrix and her host Grand Duke Henri visited the Université de Luxembourg in Limpertsberg to take part in a discussion titled "Europe after the crisis". Afterwards the Queen met with fellow countrymen at the Cercle Cité, before she was officially seen off. For the inspection of the troops and the farewell, the Grand Duke and the guest from the Netherlands were joined by the birthday girl Maria Teresa and the Hereditary Grand Duke. Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and Grand Duke Henri also accompanied Queen Beatrix to the airport in Findel.

Pictures of the visits to the university, the meeting with the Dutchmen and the farewell that included many kisses (1 - 2 - 3), can be found at PPE, ANP, Wort, Tageblatt, Belga, Belga #2, GettyImages, DPP and Daylife. Videos of the last day can be found at NOS, NOS #2 and RTL; NOS also has a recap of the whole state visit.


Source: Wort

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Princess Sibilla Awards a Prize *

Yesterday, Princess Sibilla awarded the very first Children's Museum Award to the Tropen Junior Museum in Amsterdam. The award presentation was held at the Salla della Cultura of the new Museum of the History of Bologna, Italy. An art historian herself, Princess Sibilla is a member of the pool of experts of the European Museum Academy, which together with Hands On! International endowed the prize. A short video is available here, the part with Sibilla in it starts at about 2:20, and a picture here.


Source: Press release

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Dutch State Visit - Day 2

On the second day of Queen Beatrix state visiting (it should be a verb as well) Luxembourg, Grand Duke Henri and his Dutch guest travelled to Belval, a former brownfield district of Esch-sur-Alzette, by train. During the last couple of years, Belval has been redeveloped into a scientific and cultural center, hosting the scientific academy of the Université de Luxembourg as well as Rockhal, the country's largest music venue. Afterwards the two head of state participated in a conference dealing with the subject of brownfield re- and regional development at the Massenoire, before they paid a visit to the "Luxembourg Center for Systems Biomedicime".

For lunch at one of my favourite fairytale castles the Château de Bourglinster the Grand Duke and Queen Beatrix were joined by Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and Luxembourg's prime minister Jean-Claude Juncker. After lunch, the grand ducal couple and their guest visited the satellite company SES in Betzdorf. Like yesterday, the Grand Duchess opted to wear a beautiful purple-ish maroon Elie Saab number.

To round up the day, the Queen of the Netherlands invited to a concert of the baroque Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century at the Cercle Cité, which was attended by the Grand Duke, the lovely Grand Duchess with yet another great hairstyle and dress, the Hereditary Grand Duke and many other guests.

Pictures of today's events can be found at Tageblatt and Wort, as well as PPE, PPE, PPE, Belga, Belga, Daylife, GettyImages, ANP, Tom Wagner and DPP. RTL has a report starting with footage of yesterday's gala dinner and continuing with today's events. NOS has a video of the lunch at Bourglinster and one from Belval.


Source: Tageblatt

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Possible Visit to Germany and Certain Visit to Canada

A German newspaper from Trier - you know, that place near the Lux border where Luxembourgers always go shopping - is speculating that the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess will visit Berlin at the end of April. Apparently, the Chambre de Commerce has invited to a reception at the German Historical Museum on April 24th, in which the grand ducal couple will partcipate.
Upon request of the Volksfreund, the cour stated "there is no communication of an official state visit yet". So it seems not to be a full-blown state visit, only a meeting with business representatives in the German capital.

Another thing is for sure, together with Luxembourg's minister for the economy and foreign trade, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume will lead a Trade Mission to Canada between May 7th and 11th. The mission will start in Montreal for the first two days, continue to Toronto for the 9th and will be rounded up with another two days in Vancouver.


Source: Luxembourg for Business - Going International (Canada), Volksfreund

Dutch State Visit - Day 1 *

This morning the clearing up of all things lost in translation state visit of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands to the Grand Duchy started when the Hereditary Grand Duke warmly welcomed her at Findel Airport at 11 a.m. Together the two made their way to the palais grand-ducal where Her Majesty was also greeted by the grand ducal couple as well as various ministers, before she inspected the guards together with the Grand Duke.

While our main objects of concern stayed home, the Dutch queen, accompanied by prime minister Jean-Claude Juncker, visited the Kanounenhiwwel to lay down a wreath at the Monument national de la solidarité luxembourgeoise. Afterwards she reunited with her Luxembourgish counterparts for lunch. It is interesting to note that both Grand Duke Henri and Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume chose to wear Nassau-coloured ties, while the Grand Duchess opted for her - and my - beloved Elie Saab (Fall 2011 Ready-To-Wear Collection).

The afternoon activities started with a few audiences for Queen Beatrix. Accompanied by the grand ducal couple and their eldest son, she then visited the Cercle Cité were the guest from the Netherlands was welcomed by Luxembourg's major Xavier Bettel with a speech, followed by a short reception.

Afterwards Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume as well as the Queen met with business representatives to take part in a conference titled "Strengthening business climate in Europe".

Please, you must excuse me, but...
Someone call satan and tell him to get on his long johns 'cause hell just might freeze over: The Grand Duchess got herself a hairdresser. When I saw the first pictures of tonight's gala banquet - my favourite part of every state visit - I basically jumped up and down in awe. I criticized her a lot in the past for almost always wearing her hair down at tiara events, so the messy updo for the King's Dinner of the Nobel festivities last year was a little step ahead and now this. I Am Happy! Please, Madame, throw your hairdresser in the castle's oubliette and never let her/him go ;)
Oh yeah, of course Grand Duke Henri, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Queen Beatrix were also present for the dinner. With all due respect, I'll start to care about that as soon as I can get over my joy - which is enhanced by the fact that the Grand Duchess is wearing one of my favourite Lux tiaras, the bigger one of the floral diamond tiaras and Elie Saab - about Maria-Teresa's hair.

Pictures of the Queen arriving as well as visiting the Kanounenhiwwel and of the gala dinner can be found on the website of Wort. More pictures of the day's activities can be found at the cour, AD, Belga, RTL, PPE (welcoming ceremony), another PPE (Cercle Cité), yet another PPE (gala dinner), DPP, ANP, Tom Wagner and Daylife.
Telegraaf and NOS have articles including pictures and short videos, while Tageblatt and Wort have articles with photos; a short article in English is also available at Wort. Royalty Magazine offers videos of the official welcoming and the wreath laying ceremony on youtube. Naturally, RTL also covered the events in their daily news, I will post the video as soon as it becomes available - there it is. A video of the gala dinner and two others are available at NOS.
The speech of the Grand Duke can be found here and the speech of the Queen here.


Source: Wort
, Tageblatt

Monday, March 19, 2012

Here & There **

Today like every once in a while, the Hereditary Grand Duke handed out diplomas to Luxembourg's newest master craftsmen, as well as to awardees of the Promotion du Travail. The event took place at the Grand Théâtre this morning. No pictures have come up yet, while waiting have a look at RTL's daily news (starting at 11:55) where you can see Guillaume arriving to the theatre and handing out the diplomas.
Update: Pictures are now available on the website of the cour.

Meanwhile, as the Royalement Blog is letting us know, some of Guillaume's aunts and uncles were busy in Belgium.

Little more than a week ago on March 10th, Princess Marie-Astrid and her husband Archduke Carl-Christian of Austria attended a dinner that benefitted a project of AMADE, which concentrates on the protection, the help and the defense of children in Brazil, at the Plaza Hotel in Brussels.

Four days later on March 14th, Princess Sibilla and Prince Guillaume were present at a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the "European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer". The prince is a member of the general meeting, while his cousin Princess Astrid of Belgium, who attended the event with her husband Lorenz, is the honorary president. The next day, Princess Sibilla attended another event related to the anniversary at the Square Brussels Meeting Centre.
Update: A video by Place Royale has become available on the website of Belgian RTL, sadly it is geo-blocked; thankfully, the Royalement Blog offers a few screenshots.


Source: Royalement Blog, Cour grand ducale, RTL

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Upcoming Dutch State Visit

Between Tuesday and Thursday next week, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands will pay a state visit to the Luxembourg. It will be Her Majesty's second visit to the Grand Duchy, in 1981 she visited the fellow Benelux country for her very first state visit.

As the cour sadly hasn't published the schedule yet, I will try to do my best to translate the schedule published on the website of the Dutch royal house (I do owe a big thank you to google translator for that), so please excuse if there are any mistakes...


Day 1

Not surprisingly, Queen Beatrix will arrive on Tuesday morning at Luxembourg's only airport with a paved runway Findel, before she will be welcomed at the palais by Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa. From the palais the Queen will procede to the Kanounenhiwwel, which always plays a prominent role on Remembrance Day, to lay down a wreath. Afterwards a reception will be held at the palais, among the guests will be prime minister Jean-Claude Juncker and foreign minister Jean Asselborn. Maybe it is a lost in translation but one would think it to be more plausible to host the reception first and then go to the monument.
Anyway, later on Queen Beatrix will meet the mayor of Luxembourg City Xavier Bettel, before she will attend a meeting of Luxembourgish and Dutch companies and businesses. For the meeting she will accompanied by Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume. In the evening a banquet at the palais will be held.

Day 2

On the second day, Queen Beatrix will visit Belval, a district of Luxembourg's second largest town Esch-sur-Alzette and former brownfield turned scientific and cultural center. While in Belval she will also visit the part of the Université de Luxembourg situated there. She will be accompanied by the grand ducal couple. After a government lunch, the guests from the Netherlands will visit the satellite operator SES Astra. In the evening Her Majesty will host a concert by the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century.

Day 3

During the morning hours of the third day, accompanied by the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess, Queen Beatrix will visit the Université de Luxembourg to meet with students and other guests. Afterwards she will be received by the Dutch community, before the state visit will end with another reception at the palais.

We can expect members of the grand ducal family to accompany the invitee to most if not all the events mentioned. If you can't wait until Tuesday, have a look at the latest edition of Blauw Bloed, everyone's favourite Dutch show about royalty. (Well, it's mine. It's the only one I know. Is there another one? And yes, I watch it even though I do not understand Dutch.) At about 11:32 footage of various events relating to Dutch and Luxembourgish royals state visiting (shouldn't there be a verb for it?!) each other starts.


Source: Het Koninklijk Huis, Université de Luxembourg

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Another Mérite Jeunesse Event

Wednesday last week, Prince Guillaume attended an event in probably his most public function; public in actually covered by the media that is. In his capacity as leader of the administrative board of the Mérite Jeunesse, the Grand Duke's brother handed out some 185 medals to commited teenagers. He also awarded a group of scouts with the Prix du Mérite Jeunesse. For more information and pictures have a look at the Lëtzebuerger Journal.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Slow News Week

Not much going on (publicly) in the Grand Duchy the past couple of days.

On Thursday last week the Hereditary Grand Duke toured the production facilities of Accumalux S.A. in Kockelscheuer and listened to a presentation about the company's latest activities. For more information have a look at the website of the cour or of Accumalux; for pictures the fabulous Manuel Dias comes in handy with an extensive gallery of 59 visuals.

Meanwhile some time earlier this month, Grand Duke Henri received Mohammed Humaimidi at the palais. The new Iraqi ambassador to Belgium and non-resident ambassador to Luxembourg presented his credentials to the Grand Duke, the two also discussed the security and stability process in the Middle Eastern country.


Source: National Iraqi News Agency, CGD

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Official Liechtenstein Visit to Luxembourg

In 1985 five members of the European Economic Community signed the Schengen Agreement abord the M.S. Princesse Marie-Astrid near the tiny village of Schengen in Luxembourg. Twenty-seven years forward, 26 states have signed the treaty and you can go from Lisbon to Warsaw or from the North Cape to Sicily without showing your passport once, as all the borders controls have been removed. The Schengen area's newest member is the small principality of Liechtenstein.

To celebrate the occassion, a plaque was unveiled in Schengen yesterday afternoon and who better to send than Liechtenstein's very own Luxembourgish Princess, Grand Duke Henri's sister, Margaretha and her husband Prince Nikolaus, who is the brother of Prince Hans-Adam II.
The two were welcomed by the mayor of Schengen Ben Homan, culture secretary Octavie Modert and employment minister Nicolas Schmit. After the unveiling of the plaque with the name of Liechtenstein on it, Princess Margaretha and Prince Nikolaus visited the Schengen Castle as well as the European Museum. Naturally, they also used the time in the Grand Duchy to meet with their family.

For a gallery of visuals have a look at Wort, who also have an article about the visit.


In (not entirely) unrelated news, venture over to the fabulous Royalement Blog to see pictures of the lovely Princess Margaretha as well as her family and guests from abroad to celebrate the silver wedding anniversary of Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte and Grand Duke Jean in 1978.


Source: Wort

Friday, March 2, 2012

Princess Sibilla to Present Award

Later this month, on March 21st to be precise, the lovely Princess Sibilla will make a visit to the Italian city of Bologna to hand over "The 2012 Children's Museum Award" during a festive ceremony at the Palazzo Pepoli. The award will be presented during the annual children's book fair.


Source: Bologna Children's Book Fair,
Hands On! International