Monday, April 30, 2018

Imre and Katie at Christendom College

Photo: © Christendom College / Flickr
Archduke Imre and Archduchess Kathleen were at Christendom College on April 12th, for the Archduke to deliver an address entitled "100 Years Later: Quo Vadis Europa?" The event, held in Washington, D.C., was part of the school's 40th anniversary and also featured a number of other speakers, including Senator Rick Santorum, Francis Arinze (Cardinal), and Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia.

For a number of further photos, see here; and for more information about the gala event, see here.

Henri and Maria Teresa Visit the Octave Market

Photo: © Cour grand-ducale / tous droits réservés
It's that time of year again, and Grand Duke Henri and Maria Teresa were present to participate in the celebration of the Octave Market (Oktav-Mäertchen), the annual two-week event that honors the Holy Virgin. During this time, pilgrims from around the country will visit Luxembourg's capital and continue a tradition that dates back to the 17th century.

Photo from the Cour website and a little more information about the Octave Market here.

Sunday, April 29, 2018

Grand Duke Henri Attends RAF Exhibition

Photo: © British Embassy Luxembourg / tous droits réservés
On the 26th, Grand Duke Henri attended a preview of the exhibit "The RAF and Luxembourg - 100 Years," which took place at the residence of the British ambassador. The Grand Duke has also become a patron of the Luxembourg Branch of the Royal Air Force Association.

Information and a few more photos at the Cour website.

Grand Duke Receives Prime Minister of Tunisia

Photo: © Cour grand-ducale / tous droits réservés
On the 26th, Grand Duke Henri received in audience Prime Minister Youssef Chahed of the Republic of Tunisia, during his visit to Luxembourg.

Information from the Cour website.

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa Receives Educator Hanan Al Hroub

Photo: © Cour grand-ducale / tous droits réservés
On the 26th, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa received in audience Hanan Al Hroub, the 2016 recipient of the "Global Teacher Prize." The award, which is given out by the Varkey Foundation, is considered the Nobel equivalent for educators and is "presented annually to an exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to their profession." Hanan Al Hroub, who was raised in a refugee camp in Bethlehem, was honored for developing a teaching methodology that helped reduce violence in  her Palestinian pupils. She continues to teach at a school near Ramallah.

The audience occurred in connection with Grand Duchess Maria Teresa's work as an "Eminent Advocate for Children" with UNESCO.

Information from the Cour website.


Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Grand Duke Jean and Prince Guillaume Celebrate Mérite Jeunesse

Photo: Mérite Jeunesse Luxembourg
Already about a week ago, on April 17 to be exact, Grand Duke Jean and his youngest son Prince Guillaume attended the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Mérite Jeunesse. While Luxembourg's former Grand Duke is the patron of the Mérite Jeunesse, an organisation and award similiar to The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, Prince Guillaume works as the president of the administrative board.

For more information, have a look at the cour.

Saturday, April 21, 2018

Guillaume and Sibilla Attend Exhibition in Brussels

Photo: Nicolas Maeterlinck / Belga Image / belgaimage.be
On the 20th, Prince Guillaume and Princess Sibilla were in Brussels to attend an exhibition entitled "La Famille royale fait la Une" from Soirmag. This marks the magazine's 90th anniversary, and the exhibition features 300 covers of the royal family.

More photos at Belga Image.

Hereditary Prince Meets Future Swiss Diplomats

Photo: IKR
Earlier this week, the trainees of the Swiss diplomatic and consular service visited Liechtenstein to get an impression of and to learn about the Principality as many of them will represent Liechtenstein diplomaticly in the future. During their visit, they were received at Schloss Vaduz by Hereditary Prince Alois. 

As Liechtenstein is a tiny country, they only maintain few diplomatic missions in other countries. The Principality has embassies in Austria, which also serves for the Czech Republic, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, the United States of America as well as a non-resident ambassador to the Holy See. In addition, it has permanent representations in Brussels, Geneva, Strasbourg and New York City to the different major multilateral organisations as well as a bunch of consulates. In all other countries, Liechtenstein is represented by Switzerland who also offer all services to Liechtensteiners that they offer their own citizens.

Prince Philipp Honours Jubilarians

Photo: lie:zeit
This week, Prince Philipp once again took the LGT Group's jubilarians to visit another company in the Principality, this time around it was watch manufacturer Huber. The 63 jubilarians of the first half on 2018, who collectively have worked 930 years for the Princely Family's bank, and the prince toured the company and later had dinner together. More information at lie:zeit.

Friday, April 20, 2018

Maria Teresa Receives LCTO Representatives

Photo: © Cour grand-ducale / tous droits réservés
On the 19th, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa received in audience representatives of the Luxembourg City Tourist Office (LCTO) to present a check from the Fondation du Grand-Duc et de la Grande-Duchesse. On hand to receive the check was Marc Angel (to the right of the Grand Duchess, above) of the LCTO. That organization has organized guided tours of the Palais grand-ducal, during the summer months, since 1977; during 2017, the LCTO Palais tours saw nearly 11,000 visitors.

Information from the Cour website.

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Hereditary Prince Alois Attends Package Meeting

Photo: IKR / Lie-zeit.li
Between the 17th and 18th, Hereditary Prince Alois was in Vaduz to welcome the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA)'s "Package Meeting," which is recognized as that body's control and monitoring section. At this meeting, Frank J. Büchel of Liechtenstein College was re-appointed, and Högni Kristjánsson of Iceland was appointed along with 14 other members to the EFTA Surveillance Authority.

Prime Minister Adrian Hasler and Deputy Prime Minister Daniel Risch were present at the event to reiterate Liechtenstein's commitment to ongoing Association dialogue, although the unique obligations of Liechtenstein law must be continually taken into account.

More information at Lie: Zeit

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Henri and Maria Teresa Attend Exhibition Opening

Photo: © Romain Girtgen, CNA / Cour grand-ducale
On the 17th, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa attended the opening of the exhibition "UNexpected Treasures" at the Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle (MNHN). The exhibition features a range of cultural objects that are considered to belong "non seulement aux instituts mais à tous les citoyens" (not only to institutions but to all of the citizens). "UNexpected Treasures" is organized in connection with the European Year of Cultural Heritage and reflects the varied and changing culture, from ancient evidence of human ancestry to the evolving technology of virtual reality.

Also present were Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and Secretary of State for Culture Guy Arendt.

More photos at the Cour website.

Saturday, April 14, 2018

Hereditary Prince Alois On A Visit to Prague

Photo: IKR
Hereditary Prince Alois visited Prague this week for the establishment of the Czech-Liechtenstein Society. The evening reception at the Palais Lobkowicz was hosted by the Principality's ambassador to the Czech Republic Princess Maria-Pia. 

The history of Liechtenstein(ers) and what today is the Czech Republic is a complicated one. As you may recall, the Prince of Liechtenstein as well as 37 other Liechtenstein citizens lost their Czechoslovakian properties partly after the First World War due to a land reform and partly after the end of the Second World War based on the Beneš decrees as they were deemed German because of speaking German. As a result the Principality and the Czech Republic only established diplomatic relations in 2009. Since then relations have improved immensely with a Historical Commission being installed and the Czech-Liechtenstein Society a private initiative, as another step.

Princess Marie Celebrates Birthday

Photo: Tatjana Schnalzger / Liechtensteiner Vaterland / Vaterland.li
Princess Marie celebrates her 78th birthday today - all the best to Her Serene Highness - and already yesterday a birthday reception at Schloss Vaduz took place. A number of government officials, local politicians and members of the clergy attended the event to offer their best birthday wishes to the Fürstin.

More pictures at Volksblatt and Vaterland, a video at 1 FL TV.

Friday, April 13, 2018

New Official Picture of the Grand Duke

Photo: Lola Velasco / Cour grand-ducale
On Monday, Grand Duke Henri will celebrate his 63rd birthday. To mark the event, the cour has released a new photograph earlier today. The same day Prince Sébastien will turn 26 though unfortunately there was no new photograph the the Grand Ducal couple's youngest child. We wish both of the a very happy birthday anyway!

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Princess Nora Attends Exhibition Opening in Madrid

Embed from Getty Images

On April 9th, Princess Nora was in Madrid to attend an exhibition preview at Museo Nacional del Prado. The exhibition, entitled "Rubens: Painter of Sketches," runs from April 10th until August 5th and features 93 oil sketches, 73 of which have been loaned from a number of museums around the world, including the Louvre, the Hermitage, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The exhibition is jointly organized by the Prado and the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum in Rotterdam, both of which have large selections of Rubens oil sketches. (After the exhibit in Madrid, the exhibition will move to Rotterdam in September.)

Some more photos of Princess Nora at Getty.

Monday, April 2, 2018

Prince Hans-Adam Receives Liechtenstein Prize Winners

Photo: llv.li
The Liechtenstein Prize has been awarded for the 27th time in 35 years, this time going to four researchers from different disciplines: Nadine Ortner from the Institute of Pharmacy, Michael Meyer from the Institute of Geology, and Florian Meinert from the Institute for Experimental Physics, all from the University of Innsbruck; and Andreas-Robert Janecke from the Pediatric Department of the Medical University of Innsbruck. As of 2000, the Prize has been bestowed annually, alternating between researchers in Innsbruck and Vaduz.

The 10,000-Euro Prize was distributed in the government building in Vaduz, and a commemorative publication entitled "A Sign of Appreciation and Recognition" was released for the 35th anniversary of the Liechtenstein Prize. Following the ceremony, the four winners, along with other attendees from the event, were received by Prince Hans-Adam at Schloss Vaduz.

Information from Vaterland.

Guillaume and Sibilla (At) BIG Against Breast Cancer

Photo: Violaine le Hardÿ de Beaulieu
Prince Guillaume and Princess Sibilla recently attended a charity dinner for BIG against breast cancer at the Cercle de Lorraine  in Brussels. BIG is an international not-for-profit organisation that represents the largest global network - over 50 countries, across six continents - of academic groups dedicated to breast cancer research. 

Princess Sibilla and Youngest Son Support Homeless Association

Photo: Violaine le Hardÿ de Beaulieu
Princess Sibilla, together with her youngest son Prince Jean, recently attended an evening of theatrical performances for the benefit of La Fontaine. The association, part of the Order of Malta, runs day centres for homeless people and people in precarious situations living in Brussels, Liège and Gand in Belgium.