Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg
Encyclopedia
The Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg (House of Nassau-Weilburg, agnatically
, a cadet branch
of the House of Bourbon-Parma
, itself a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon
) consists of the extended family of the sovereign Grand Duke
.
The medieval duchy of Luxembourg
was elevated to a grand duchy in 1815; William I of the Netherlands
ascended the grand ducal throne as its first holder. William, through his Prussian
mother, was a descendant of the medieval heiress Anne, Duchess of Luxembourg
, as was William's wife, his first cousin. The territories of the grand duchy, taken (including the ancestral castle of Luxembourg) from occupying French
forces in the first stages of the fall of Napoleon, had been ceded to William by his first cousin King Frederick William III of Prussia
, who was Anne's heir-general. In breach of the traditional line of succession of Luxembourg, the great powers of Europe
agreed that the grand duchy would be inherited in the male line of the House of Nassau
.
The male-line descendants of Grand Duke Adolphe
held the titles Prince(ss) of Luxembourg and Prince(ss) of Nassau, with the style of His/Her Grand Ducal Highness.
The male-line descendants of Grand Duchess Charlotte
who are the children of a reigning Grand Duke or The Hereditary Grand Duke hold the titles Prince(ss) of Luxembourg and Prince(ss) of Nassau with the style of His/Her Royal Highness. Male line descendants of Grand Duchess Charlotte
who are not the children of a Grand Duke or Hereditary Grand Duke are Prince(ss) of Nassau with the style of His/Her Royal Highness (coming from their status as male-line descendants of Duke Robert of Parma
). The title Prince of Bourbon-Parma was relinquished by Grand Duke Jean
in 1986, but he and his relatives kept the style of His/Her Royal Highness.
(1817-1905) and William IV (1852-1912) were Protestants. William married the Catholic Marie Anne of Portugal
, believing that a country where the vast majority of people were Catholic should also have a Catholic monarch. In 1907. Willliam declared the Protestant Counts of Merenberg
to be non-dynastic and named his own (Catholic) daughter, Marie-Adélaïde (1894-1924) as heir to the grand ducal throne. In 1919, Marie-Adélaïde abdicated
in favour of her sister, Charlotte (1896-1985), who was also a Catholic. Charlotte's descendants have reigned in Luxembourg ever since.
is the current Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He was born on April 16, 1955. He was married on February 14, 1981 to Maria Teresa Mestre and became grand duke when his father, Jean, abdicated on October 7, 2000. Their children are:
Grand Duke Jean I Benoît Guillaume Robert Antoine Louis Marie Adolphe Marc d'Aviano of Luxembourg is the current Grand Duke's father. He was Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 1964 to 2000, when he abdicated. Born on January 5, 1921, he became grand duke when his mother, the Grand Duchess Charlotte, abdicated
in 1964.
Agnatic seniority
Agnatic seniority is a patrilineal principle of inheritance where the order of succession to the throne prefers the monarch's younger brother over the monarch's own sons. A monarch's children succeed only after the males of the elder generation have all been exhausted...
, a cadet branch
Cadet branch
Cadet branch is a term in genealogy to describe the lineage of the descendants of the younger sons of a monarch or patriarch. In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets – titles, realms, fiefs, property and income – have...
of the House of Bourbon-Parma
House of Bourbon-Parma
The House of Bourbon-Parma is an Italian cadet branch of the House of Bourbon. It is thus descended from the Capetian dynasty in male line. The name of Bourbon-Parma comes from the main name and the other from the title of Duke of Parma....
, itself a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
) consists of the extended family of the sovereign Grand Duke
Grand Duke
The title grand duke is used in Western Europe and particularly in Germanic countries for provincial sovereigns. Grand duke is of a protocolary rank below a king but higher than a sovereign duke. Grand duke is also the usual and established translation of grand prince in languages which do not...
.
The medieval duchy of Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
was elevated to a grand duchy in 1815; William I of the Netherlands
William I of the Netherlands
William I Frederick, born Willem Frederik Prins van Oranje-Nassau , was a Prince of Orange and the first King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg....
ascended the grand ducal throne as its first holder. William, through his Prussian
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
mother, was a descendant of the medieval heiress Anne, Duchess of Luxembourg
Anne, Duchess of Luxembourg
Anne of Bohemia and Austria was a Duchess of Luxembourg in her own right, and as consort, Landgravine of Thuringia and of Saxony....
, as was William's wife, his first cousin. The territories of the grand duchy, taken (including the ancestral castle of Luxembourg) from occupying French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
forces in the first stages of the fall of Napoleon, had been ceded to William by his first cousin King Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III was king of Prussia from 1797 to 1840. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel .-Early life:...
, who was Anne's heir-general. In breach of the traditional line of succession of Luxembourg, the great powers of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
agreed that the grand duchy would be inherited in the male line of the House of Nassau
House of Nassau
The House of Nassau is a diversified aristocratic dynasty in Europe. It is named after the lordship associated with Nassau Castle, located in present-day Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The lords of Nassau were originally titled Count of Nassau, then elevated to the princely class as...
.
The male-line descendants of Grand Duke Adolphe
Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Adolphe I, Grand Duke of Luxembourg was the last Duke of Nassau, and the fourth Grand Duke of Luxembourg.-Biography:...
held the titles Prince(ss) of Luxembourg and Prince(ss) of Nassau, with the style of His/Her Grand Ducal Highness.
The male-line descendants of Grand Duchess Charlotte
Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg was the reigning Grand Duchess of Luxembourg from 1919 to 1964.-Early life and life as Grand Duchess:...
who are the children of a reigning Grand Duke or The Hereditary Grand Duke hold the titles Prince(ss) of Luxembourg and Prince(ss) of Nassau with the style of His/Her Royal Highness. Male line descendants of Grand Duchess Charlotte
Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg was the reigning Grand Duchess of Luxembourg from 1919 to 1964.-Early life and life as Grand Duchess:...
who are not the children of a Grand Duke or Hereditary Grand Duke are Prince(ss) of Nassau with the style of His/Her Royal Highness (coming from their status as male-line descendants of Duke Robert of Parma
Robert I, Duke of Parma
Robert I was the last sovereign Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1854 to 1859, when the duchy was annexed to Sardinia-Piedmont during the unification of Italy...
). The title Prince of Bourbon-Parma was relinquished by Grand Duke Jean
Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg ruled Luxembourg from 1964 to 2000. He is the father of the current ruler, Grand Duke Henri, and the son of Grand Duchess Charlotte and Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma...
in 1986, but he and his relatives kept the style of His/Her Royal Highness.
Religion
Grand Dukes AdolpheAdolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Adolphe I, Grand Duke of Luxembourg was the last Duke of Nassau, and the fourth Grand Duke of Luxembourg.-Biography:...
(1817-1905) and William IV (1852-1912) were Protestants. William married the Catholic Marie Anne of Portugal
Marie Anne of Portugal
Infanta Maria Ana of Portugal , Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, was a Portuguese infanta and Grand Duchess consort of Luxembourg and its Regent...
, believing that a country where the vast majority of people were Catholic should also have a Catholic monarch. In 1907. Willliam declared the Protestant Counts of Merenberg
Count of Merenberg
Count of Merenberg is the title bestowed in 1868 by the reigning Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont, George Victor, upon the morganatic wife and male-line descendants of Prince Nikolaus Wilhelm of Nassau , who married Natalia Alexandrovna Pushkina , former wife of Russian General Mikhail Leontievich...
to be non-dynastic and named his own (Catholic) daughter, Marie-Adélaïde (1894-1924) as heir to the grand ducal throne. In 1919, Marie-Adélaïde abdicated
Abdication
Abdication occurs when a monarch, such as a king or emperor, renounces his office.-Terminology:The word abdication comes derives from the Latin abdicatio. meaning to disown or renounce...
in favour of her sister, Charlotte (1896-1985), who was also a Catholic. Charlotte's descendants have reigned in Luxembourg ever since.
The Grand Ducal Family
Grand Duke Henri Albert Gabriel Félix Marie Guillaume of LuxembourgHenri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg OIH is the head of state of Luxembourg. He is the eldest son of Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium. His maternal grandparents were King Leopold III of Belgium and Astrid of Sweden...
is the current Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He was born on April 16, 1955. He was married on February 14, 1981 to Maria Teresa Mestre and became grand duke when his father, Jean, abdicated on October 7, 2000. Their children are:
- Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume Jean Joseph Marie of LuxembourgGuillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of LuxembourgGuillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg has been heir apparent to the crown of Luxembourg since his father's accession in 2000.-Early life and education:...
, the Grand Duke's eldest son, born on November 11, 1981. He is the Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Hereditary Prince of Nassau and holds the title Prince of Bourbon-Parma.
- Prince Félix Léopold Marie Guillaume of LuxembourgPrince Félix of LuxembourgPrince Félix of Luxembourg , is the second son of the Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa. He is currently second in the line of succession to the throne of Luxembourg. His godparents are Prince Jean of Luxembourg and Catalina Mestre...
, Prince of Nassau, born on June 3, 1984.
- Prince Louis Xavier Marie Guillaume of LuxembourgPrince Louis of LuxembourgPrince Louis of Luxembourg is the third son of the Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, Cuban-born. Besides Prince of Luxembourg, he is a Prince of Nassau...
, born on August 3, 1986. He is Prince of Luxembourg and Prince of Nassau. He was married on September 29, 2006 to Tessy AntonyTessy AntonyPrincess Tessy of Luxembourg is the wife of Prince Louis of Luxembourg, son of Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg.-Early life:Tessy Antony was born in 1985, the daughter of a tiler...
, who was born on October 28, 1985. Upon marrying, Prince Louis renounced his right of succession to the Luxembourg throne.- Prince Gabriel Michael Louis Ronny of Nassau was born out of wedlock in SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
on March 12, 2006. - Prince Noah Guillaume of Nassau was born on September 21, 2007 at the Grand Duchess Charlotte Maternity HospitalGrand Duchess Charlotte Maternity HospitalThe Grand Duchess Charlotte Maternity Hospital is a maternity hospital, part of the Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg in Luxembourg. The hospital is named after Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, who reigned from 1919 to 1964.-History:...
in Luxembourg City.
- Prince Gabriel Michael Louis Ronny of Nassau was born out of wedlock in Switzerland
- Princess Alexandra Joséphine Teresa Charlotte Marie Wilhelmine of LuxembourgPrincess Alexandra of LuxembourgPrincess Alexandra of Luxembourg is the fourth child and only daughter of HRH Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg...
, born on February 16, 1991.
- Prince Sébastien Henri Marie Guillaume of LuxembourgPrince Sébastien of LuxembourgPrince Sébastien of Luxembourg , is the fifth child and youngest son of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg. His godparents are Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Princess Astrid of Belgium.He has three brothers – Guillaume, Félix and Louis and a sister –...
, born on April 16, 1992.
Grand Duke Jean I Benoît Guillaume Robert Antoine Louis Marie Adolphe Marc d'Aviano of Luxembourg is the current Grand Duke's father. He was Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 1964 to 2000, when he abdicated. Born on January 5, 1921, he became grand duke when his mother, the Grand Duchess Charlotte, abdicated
Abdication
Abdication occurs when a monarch, such as a king or emperor, renounces his office.-Terminology:The word abdication comes derives from the Latin abdicatio. meaning to disown or renounce...
in 1964.
Extended family
- Archduchess Marie Astrid Charlotte Léopoldine Wilhelmine Ingeborg Antoinette Elisabeth Anna Alberta of AustriaArchduchess Marie Astrid of AustriaArchduchess Marie Astrid of Austria , is the oldest daughter and the first child of Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte, and the wife of Archduke Carl Christian of Austria...
, the Grand Duke's eldest sister, was born on February 17, 1954. She is Princess Imperial and Archduchess of Austria, Princess Royal of Hungary, Princess of Luxembourg, and Princess of Nassau. She was married on February 6, 1982 to Carl Christian Maria Anna Rudolph Anton Marcus d'AvianoArchduke Carl Christian of AustriaArchduke Carl Christian of Austria is a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and Archduke and Prince of Austria, Prince of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia...
, Archduke of Austria, who was born in 1954.
- Prince Jean Félix Marie Guillaume of LuxembourgPrince Jean of LuxembourgPrince Jean of Luxembourg was born on 15 May 1957 at Betzdorf Castle, the second son of Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium. He is the twin brother of Princess Margaretha. His godparents are Prince Felix of Luxembourg and Princess Margrethe of Denmark...
, the Grand Duke's brother, was born on May 15, 1957. He was married on 27 May 1987 to Hélène Vestur, who was born in 1958. On 26 September 1986, Prince Jean renounced his right of succession to the Luxembourg throne. His children were styled as Count(esse) of NaussauHouse of NassauThe House of Nassau is a diversified aristocratic dynasty in Europe. It is named after the lordship associated with Nassau Castle, located in present-day Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The lords of Nassau were originally titled Count of Nassau, then elevated to the princely class as...
until given the title HRH Prince(ss) of Nassau on November 24, 2004. Prince Jean and his wife divorced in 2004 and, in March 2009, he married Diane de Guerre in a civil ceremonyCivil ceremonyA civil registrar ceremony is a non-religious legal marriage ceremony performed by a government official or functionary. In the UK, this person is normally called a registrar...
in RoermondRoermondRoermond is a city, a municipality, and a diocese in the southeastern part of the Netherlands.The city of Roermond is a historically important town, on the lower Roer at the east bank of the Meuse river. It received city rights in 1231...
, the NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.- Princess Marie Gabriele Cécile Charlotte Sophie of Nassau, Prince Jean's eldest child and only daughter, was born out of wedlock on September 8, 1986.
- Prince Constantin Jean Philippe Marie Albert Marc d'Aviano of Nassau, Prince Jean's eldest son, was born on July 22, 1988.
- Prince Wenceslas François Baudouin Léopold Juraj Marie Marc d'Aviano of Nassau, Prince Jean's second son, was born on November 17, 1990.
- Prince Carl Johann Marie Félix Julian Marc d'Aviano of Nassau, Prince Jean's third son and youngest child, was born on August 15, 1992.
- Princess Margaretha Antonia Marie Felicite of LiechtensteinPrincess Margaretha of LiechtensteinPrincess Margaretha of Liechtenstein is the fourth child and second daughter of Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte of Luxembourg...
, the Grand Duke's youngest sister. She was born on May 15, 1957. She is Princess of Luxembourg, Princess of Nassau, and Princess of LiechtensteinLiechtensteinThe Principality of Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked alpine country in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and by Austria to the east. Its area is just over , and it has an estimated population of 35,000. Its capital is Vaduz. The biggest town is Schaan...
. She was married on 20 March 1982 to Prince NikolausPrince Nikolaus of LiechtensteinPrince Nikolaus Ferdinand Maria Josef Raphael of Liechtenstein , is the third son of Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein and his wife Countess Gina von Wilczek. Prince Nikolaus was born in Zurich, and is the Ambassador of Liechtenstein in Belgium and non-resident Ambassador to the Holy See...
of LiechtensteinLiechtensteinThe Principality of Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked alpine country in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and by Austria to the east. Its area is just over , and it has an estimated population of 35,000. Its capital is Vaduz. The biggest town is Schaan...
, who was born in 1947.
- Prince Guillaume Marie Louis Christian of LuxembourgPrince Guillaume of LuxembourgPrince Guillaume of Luxembourg born 1 May 1963 in Betzdorf Castle, is the third son and youngest child of Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte of Luxembourg.-Life:...
, the Grand Duke's youngest brother, was born on 1 May 1963. He is Prince of Luxembourg and Prince of Nassau. He was married on September 8, 1994 to Sibilla Sandra Weiller (the daughter of the princess Donna Olimpia TorloniaTorlonia200px|thumb|Coat of arms of the House of Torlonia.The princes Torlonia are an Italian noble family from Rome, who acquired a huge fortune in the 18th and 19th centuries through administering the finances of the Vatican.-History:...
di Civitella-Cesi and Paul-Annick Weiller, and great-granddaughter of Alfonso XIII of SpainAlfonso XIII of SpainAlfonso XIII was King of Spain from 1886 until 1931. His mother, Maria Christina of Austria, was appointed regent during his minority...
), now Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg.- Prince Paul-Louis Jean Marie Guillaume of Nassau, Prince Guillaume's eldest son, was born on March 4, 1998.
- Prince Léopold Guillaume Marie Joseph of Nassau, Prince Guillaume's second son, was born on May 2, 2000. He is the twin brother of Princess Charlotte.
- Princess Charlotte Wilhelmine Maria da Gloria of Nassau, Prince Guillaume's only daughter, was born on 2 May 2000. She is the twin sister of Prince Léopold.
- Prince Jean André Guillaume Marie Gabriel Marc d'Aviano of Nassau, Prince Guillaume's youngest son, was born on July 13, 2004.
- Duchess Elisabeth Hilda Zita Marie Anna Antonia Friederike Wilhelmine Louise of Hohenberg, the Grand Duke's aunt, was born on December 22, 1922. She married Franz Ferdinand Friedrich Ernst Joseph Karl Leopold Mauritius Hubertus Maria, Duke of Hohenberg (September 13, 1927–August 15, 1977), on May 9, 1956. She is a Princess of Luxembourg, Princess of Nassau and Duchess of Hohenberg.
- Princess Marie-Adélaïde Louise Thérèse Wilhelmine of Luxembourg, the Grand Duke's aunt, born on 21 May 1924, died 28 February 2007. She was born a Princess of Luxembourg, Princess of Nassau and Princess of Bourbon-ParmaHouse of Bourbon-ParmaThe House of Bourbon-Parma is an Italian cadet branch of the House of Bourbon. It is thus descended from the Capetian dynasty in male line. The name of Bourbon-Parma comes from the main name and the other from the title of Duke of Parma....
, and became Countess of Donnersmarck. She was married on 10 April 1958 to Marie Karl Josef Erdmann Jakob Edwin Lazarus Andreas Alois, Count Henckel of Donnersmarck, who was born on November 7, 1928.
- Princess Marie-Gabriele Adelgonde Wilhelmine Louise of Luxembourg, the Grand Duke's aunt, was born on 2 August 1925. She is a Princess of Luxembourg, Princess of Nassau and Countess of Holstein-Ledreborg. She was married on 6 November 1951 to Knud, Count of Holstein-Ledreborg, who was born on 2 October 1919.
- Princess Charlotte Phyllis Joelle Marie of Luxembourg, the Grand Duke's first cousin, was born on 15 September 1967. She is Princess of Luxembourg and Princess of Nassau. She was married in 1993 to Marc Victor Cunningham, who was born on 24 September 1965.
- Prince Robert Louis Francois Marie of Luxembourg, the Grand Duke's first cousin, was born on 14 August 1968. He is Prince of Luxembourg and Prince of Nassau. He was married on 29 January 1994 to Julie Elizabeth Huston Ongaro, now Princess Julie of Nassau, who was born on 9 June 1966.
- Princess Charlotte Justine of Nassau, eldest child and only daughter of Prince Robert, was born on March 20, 1995.
- Prince Alexander Théodore Charles Marie of Nassau, elder son of Prince Robert, was born on April 18, 1997.
- Prince Frederik Henry Douglas Marie of Nassau, younger son of Prince Robert, was born on March 18, 2002.
- Princess Alix Marie Anna Antoinette Charlotte Gabrielle of LigneAlix, Princess of LigneAlix Marie Anne Antoinette Charlotte Gabrielle, Dowager Princess of Ligne, Princess of Luxembourg, Princess of Nassau, Princess of Bourbon-Parma is the daughter of Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg and Felix of Bourbon-Parma-Marriage and issue:On 17 August 1950 in Luxembourg Princess Alix...
, the Grand Duke's aunt, was born on 24 August 1929. She is a Princess of Luxembourg, Princess of Nassau and Princess of Ligne. She was married on 17 August 1950 to Antoine Maria Joachim Lamoral, 13th Prince of Ligne who was born on 8 March 1925.
Summary Family Tree
Arms
A complete armorial is given at the Armorial de la Maison de Nassau, section Lignée Valramienne at the French Wikipedia, and another one at Wapen van Nassau, Tak van Walram at the Dutch Wikipedia.See also
- List of Grand Dukes of Luxembourg
- Line of succession to the throne of Luxembourg