Luxembourg crowns new Grand duke: Father Henri abdicates throne; son Guillaume takes over in a lavish ceremony

Luxembourg witnessed a historic royal transition on Friday as Grand Duke Henri, 70, abdicated the throne in favor of his son, Guillaumein a glittering ceremony at the Grand Ducal Palace.

The coronation of Guillaume, 43 was attended by royals from neighboring countries, including the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as world leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

During the ceremony, Guillaume swore an oath to Luxembourg’s constitution before 60 elected members of the parliament, known as the Chamber of Deputies, officially beginning his tenure as the nation’s seventh grand duke since the modern monarchy was established in 1890.

Henri, Europe’s richest royal with an estimated net worth of $4 billion, stepped down after 25 years as head of state, marking the end of an era.

Following the formal proceedings, the new grand duke greeted the public from a balcony overlooking a central square alongside his family: his wife, Belgian-born Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy , and their two sons, Prince Charles, 5, and Prince François, 2.

Later on Friday, Guillaume will host an evening gala for invited guests, while over the weekend, he is scheduled to embark on a traditional national tour, concluding with a Sunday Mass at the Catholic Notre-Dame de Luxembourg cathedral with Archbishop Jean-Claude Hollerich.

Guillaume is married to Stéphanie in 2012. Across Luxembourg, the new grand duke’s photograph will replace that of his father, and his monogram—symmetrical golden “G” letters beneath a crown—will be incorporated into the uniforms of the army, police, emergency services, prison service, and customs.