Tea at Trianon: The Accession of Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stéphanie

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Saturday, October 4, 2025

The Accession of Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stéphanie

Luxembourg's Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stephanie flanked by Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria...

Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg was joined by his wife Grand Duchess Stphanie at the gala dinner celebrating his...

In Luxembourg. From Tatler:

The day began with the abdication: Grand Duke Henri, 69, formally stepped down from his role at the Grand Ducal Palace. It followed a precedent set by his father, the late Grand Duke Jean, who abdicated in 2000 after 36 years on the throne.
Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg announced his intention to abdicate in December 2024, during his annual Christmas broadcast. During his speech, he said, ‘It has been a period during which Luxembourg has undergone great changes, and I am proud to have been able to, together with the Grand Duchess, walk this path with you.’
He went on to say that whilst 'the Grand Duke is above political parties and does not interfere in political debates, nothing prevents me from speaking out when the fundamental interests of the country and its citizens are at stake.' He added, ‘This is what I have strived to do over the past 25 years, paying particular attention from the outset to the diversity of our population, the need for coexistence, and sustainability in all areas of our society, so that we can leave our children a healthier country.’
Today, Henri made way for Guillaume, the eldest of five children he shares with Maria Teresa. Princess Alexandra, Prince Louis, Prince Félix and Prince Sébastien were also in attendance. The outgoing Grand Duke signed a document officially ending his 25-year reign at an intimate ceremony, before proceeding to lower his monogrammed flag outside. (Read more.)

Also from Tatler:

A true Renaissance man, he supports a plethora of causes in his home country, from Luxembourg’s Chamber Orchestra to its Cycling Federation. Especially close to his heart is the Scouting Movement. Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg spent a Summer in Nepal on a humanitarian camp with the Scouts, and in 2017 was named on the board of directors for World Scout Foundation. Fluent in Luxembourgish, French, German, Spanish and English, the future Grand Duke is known to play piano and enjoy football, swimming, and volleyball.
Amid all the scouting and the cycling, the soon to be Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg found time to fall in love. On his 30th birthday, he announced that he was in a relationship with a ‘dear miss’ ('yes,' he said, ‘I have a girlfriend’) but kept the press guessing as to the identity of Luxembourg’s could-be Grand Duchess. A year later, on 27 April 2012, he finally declared that he would be marrying Belgian Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy. A royal wedding followed, with the great and the gilded of Europe making their way to Luxembourg to celebrate. Prince Edward and Sophie, then Countess of Wessex; Princess Caroline of Hanover; King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain – all watched on as Countess Stéphanie walked down the aisle at the Luxembourg City Town Hall, wearing an Elie Saab dress with a 13-foot long train teamed with the Lannoy tiara, which belonged to her family rather than the Prince’s. The tiara features 300 diamonds in a delicate floral design, with a large pear shaped gem at the top. (Read more.)