Guillaume and Stéphanie at Charity Concert

Photo: Manuel Dias

Earlier this evening, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie assissted at a charity concert for the children of international protection seekers and refugees. Hosted by the city of Luxembourg and organised by the Luxembourgish Army, the Luxembourg City Tourist Office (LCTO), the Amis de la Musique Militaire non-profit organisation and the Conservatoire de la Ville de Luxembourg, the charity concert was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Étienne Schneider, the Minister for Family and Integration Corinne Cahen, and the mayor of the Luxembourg, Lydie Polfer.

As every so often: No pictures as of yet, I believe, but we'll add them if any become available. Pictures are now available at the cour and Manuel Dias.

Henri Celebrates 25 Years of Film Fund Luxembourg

Photo: Gerry Huberty / Luxemburger Wort / Wort.lu

Today, Grand Duke Henri was present at the 25th anniversary celebration for Film Fund Luxembourg at Utopolis in Kirchberg. Prime Minister Xavier Bettel was also present at the event, having tweeted his congratulations to the organization earlier in the day.

Director Guy Daleiden spoke about how the Film Fund was an important part of setting Luxembourg apart internationally and offering the film world a glimpse of what makes Luxembourg unique.

A little more information about the event at Tageblatt and more photos and information at Wort.

Henri Receives Members of the Youth Parliament and Youth Conference

Photo: Cour grand-ducale

Earlier today, Grand Duke Henri received in audience a delegation from the Youth Parliament, as well as representatives from the Jugendkonferenz (Youth Conference). The Youth Parliament, founded in July of 2008, enables young people to dialogue about social rights and engage with important social issues. The Youth Parliament is operated by around 150 volunteers, all between the ages of 14 and 24.

Additionally, the Youth Parliament encourages the participation of young women in politics and social issues. The Jugendkonferez was founded in 1960, alongside other youth organizations in Europe, and aims to get young people involved in society by engaging with youth-specific topics.

A picture at the cour.

Hereditary Prince Talks Liechtenstein's Future

Photo: Oliver Hartmann

The reorganisation of the social system, the end of the scattergun approach, the advance of the educational system, the overcoming of the refugee crisis, the unbundling of church and state - these are some of the topics Hereditary Prince Alois talked about in an interview to Liezeit. Parts of the interview about the future of the Principality are available online here.

Luxarazzi 101: Grand Duchess Adelheid-Marie of Luxembourg

Today's featured historical member of the Grand Ducal Family was not destined for life as a Grand Duchess. But a fortuitous marriage, war and the loss of a duchy gave Luxembourg the matriarch of its current dynasty - as well as the founder of an artistic award still given today.

Adelheid-Marie was the eldest of three daughters of Prince Friedrich August of Anhalt-Dessau and the former Princess Marie Luise of Hesse-Kassel.  She was born on December 25, 1833, in the city of Dessau. Adelheid-Marie had two younger sisters: Bathildis, who married into the Schaumburg-Lippe family, and Hilda, who did not marry.  Adelheid-Marie was a maternal niece of Louise of Hesse-Kassel, the wife of Christian IX of Denmark. This made Adelheid-Marie a cousin of Alexandra of Denmark, consort of Edward VII of Great Britain.

As the niece of Leopold IV, Duke of Anhalt, Adelheid-Marie grew up at court in Dessau. During her childhood, she developed a distinct talent for painting that later turned into a passion.  She also spent a significant amount of time at Schloss Rumpenheim, the seat of the Hesse-Kassel family.  It was at Rumpenheim that 15-year-old Adelheid-Marie is believed to have first met her future husband in 1849. Duke Adolph of Nassau had been widowed a few years earlier after the unfortunate death of his wife, Elizabeth Mikhailovna of Russia, following the birth of a stillborn daughter.

Adelheid-Marie married Adolph at Dessau on April 23, 1851, upon which time she became the Duchess of Nassau. Queen Victoria sent a letter congratulating the couple on their marriage. Adelheid-Marie and Adolph honeymooned at palaces in Oranienstein and Königstein im Taunus, two of the seats of the House of Nassau. Oranienstein later became the couple's first summer home.

During the early years of Adolph and Adelheid-Marie's marriage, the couple apparently had a difficult time time adjusting to married life together, not least due to their fourteen year age difference. Queen Victoria, considering wives for the son, the Prince of Wales, and chosing not to consider Adelheid-Marie's sister Hilda, once described , "the Duchess of Nassau - the eldest sister - at one time a very bad wife". How much of it is actually true and how much is based on Adelheid-Marie's mother-in-law disliking to be replaced as the woman of the house, remains unknown.

One of the oldest tiaras in the grand ducal family is believed to have been part of the (wedding) trousseau of Adelheid-Marie. The Grand Duchess Adelaide Tiara has been worn consistently by Adelheid-Marie's descendants since her time and is still one of the most frequently seen tiaras in the family collection.

Adelheid-Marie and Adolph settled in Schloss Biebrich in Wiesbaden and had five children:

- Wilhelm, later Grand Duke of Luxembourg (1852-1912)

- Friedrich (1854-1855)

- Marie (1857)

- Franz Josef (1859-1875)

- Hilda (1864-1952)

Tragically, only the oldest and youngest of Adelheid-Marie's children survived into adulthood. Eldest son Guillaume succeeded his father as Grand Duke of Luxembourg, while their surviving daughter and youngest child Hilda married Friedrich II, the last Grand Duke of Baden. Both their son Friedrich and their daughter Marie died in infancy, while their son Franz Josef died of scarlet fever during his military training.

The Luxemburger Schloss

Adolph had acquired a villa near Königstein in 1858, which he gave to his wife as a gift.  In 1861, Adolph lost the use of Schloss Oranienstein due to a dispute with the parliamant of the Duchy of Nassau, and the villa became the family's new summer home. The house later became known as the Luxemburger Schloss (Luxembourg Palace) following Adolph's accession as Grand Duke.  Adelheid-Marie was so fond of palace in Königstein that she ordered an extension on the house in the late 1860s. Adelheid-Marie took an active interest in Königstein and its citizens with whom she was very popular. Adelheidstraße in Königstein is a street named in her honor. Today the Luxemburger Schloss is used by the Königstein district court.

The Austro-Prussian War in 1866 changed the life of Adelheid-Marie and her family dramatically. Adolph sided with the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the skirmish. After Austria's defeat, Prussia assumed control over the Duchy of Nassau from Adolph. This action more or less forced the family into exile from the duchy to Vienna, Frankfurt and Schloss Hohenburg in Bavaria. Adolph signed an agreement in 1867 that gave him ownership of  some of his former homes, including Luxembourg Palace.

As Adolph indulged his passion for hunting, Adelheid-Marie spent their "exile" caring for their children, receiving other royal and noble guests, and painting.  Her works were often sold to benefit various organizations patronized by Adelheid-Marie, particularly those dedicated to nursing. In the late 1880s Adelheid-Marie painted flowers on the pulpit of an evangelical church in Königstein.  She had significant involvement in the building and decoration of the church, donating the land for its construction as well as providing decor for the interiors. Many of her paintings are still in the possession of the Grand Ducal Family, hanging in the Château de Berg but also in some of the former ducal castles in what today is the German state of Hesse. In addition to her passion for painting, Adelheid-Marie was also an accomplished rider.

She became the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg upon her husband's acquisition of the grand duchy in 1890. Although the couple largely separated themselves from the politics of the country, Adelheid-Marie did take interest in the art scene of her new homeland.  In 1902, she and the Luxembourg Artistic Circle founded the Prix Grand Duc Adolphe (Grand Duke Adolph Prize), which was created to recognize artists working within the grand duchy. The Prix Grand Duc Adolphe is still in existence and is awarded generally every two years. (Read here about the 2013 edition.)

Adelheid-Marie with her daughter-in-law and granddaughters

Following Adolph's death in 1905, Adelheid-Marie split her time between Königstein and Luxembourg.  She received frequent visits from her daughter Hilda, with whom she was quite close. Adelheid-Marie was also devoted to her six granddaughters, the oldest of whom - the future Grand Duchess Marie-Adelaide - was her namesake.  Adelheid-Marie helped care for them during the long illness of Grand Duke Wilhelm (of Guillaume) IV. Adelheid-Marie took a particular interest in the girls' artistic education, giving them drawing and painting instruction herself.  

Adelheid-Marie died on November 24, 1916, at her home in Königstein im Taunus. She was 82 years old.  She is buried along with her husband and son in the Nassau ducal crypt at Schlosskirche in Weilburg.

Guillaume and Stéphanie Attend Social Enterprises Conference

Yesterday in Kirchberg, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie attended the opening for the conference "Boosting Social Enterprises in Europe." The event is being held in conjunction with Luxembourg's role in the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The conference is focused around key questions that explore the creation and integration of social innovation, as well as the best eco-system for ensuring that evolving social enterprises receive the funding they need.

No photos just yet. Fingers crossed they'll become available, and they'll be added if and when they do.

Grand Duke Henri Receives OAI Members

Photo: Cour grand-ducale

Today at the Palais Grand-Ducal, Grand Duke Henri received in audience the new members of OAI, the Ordre des Architectes et des Ingénieurs-Conseils (Order of Architects and Consulting Engineers). The audience saw new members who joined the organization for the years 2013-2014 and 2014-2015.

No photos just yet, but they'll be added if the Cour makes them available. Here you go.

Guillaume Visits Ateliers Origer

Photo: Fabrizio Pizzolante / Tageblatt / Tageblatt.lu

Today, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume was in Grevenmacher to visit Ateliers Origer, as part of the series of visits he makes each year in coordination with the Chambre des Métiers. Ateliers Origer is a specialty craftsmanship company focused on mechanical engineering, metal and locksmith construction, and LPG conversion. The company, headed by Yves Origer, was founded in 1988.

The Hereditary Grand Duke's visit included a presentation about Ateliers Origer's history and current activities, as well as a visit to the workshops.

A little more information, as well as more photos, at Tageblatt.

Hereditary Princess Sees Play by Refugees

On Monday night, Hereditary Princess Sophie was among the audience for a stage play shown at Vaduz high school called "Refugees". The aim of the play was to give refugees living in the Principality a voice away from politics and the media and give them the chance to speak about being lost, lonely and vulnerable. The ten refugees who took part in the play were from Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tibet, Mongolia, Eritrea and Congo.

Henri Meets Prime Minister of Japan

Photo: AFP

The Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, was on an official visit to the Grand Duchy today. In addition to meetings with his Luxembourgish counterpart Xavier Bettel and the President of Parliament, Mars di Bartolomeo, Mr. Abe was also received by Grand Duke Henri for an audience at the palais grand-ducal.

Galleris of visuals at Wort, Getty Images and Tageblatt.