Friday, April 4, 2014

Friday Flashback: Future Grand Duchesses

Photo: Ch. Bernhoeft
Princess Marie-Adélaïde and Princess Charlotte, the two eldest daughters of Grand Duke Wilhelm IV and Grand Duchess Maria-Ana, at a time when probably nobody expected either them to ever inherit the Luxembourgish throne. As history went, Marie-Adélaïde became Luxembourg's first female ruler at the age of 17. After the end of the First World War and a perceived pro-German attitude of her's, Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde abdicated in favour of her younger sister in January 1919. Grand Duchess Charlotte went on to become the Grand Duchy's longest ruler and had she not abdicated under very different circumstances in favour of her oldest son, Grand Duke Jean, she would have reigned Luxembourg for a total of 66 years and 173 days.

No comments:

Post a Comment