Childhood

Prince Henri was born on 16 April 1955, at the Betzdorf Castle in Luxembourg as the second child and first son of Jean, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and his wife, Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium. His father was the eldest son of Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, and Prince Félix of Bourbon-Parma. His mother was the only daughter of King Leopold III of Belgium by his first wife, Princess Astrid of Sweden. The prince's godparents were his maternal uncle the Prince of Liège (later Albert II of Belgium) and his paternal aunt Princess Marie Gabriele.

Henri has four siblings: Archduchess Marie Astrid of Austria (born 1954), Prince Jean of Luxembourg (born 1957), Princess Margaretha of Liechtenstein (born 1957) and Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg (born 1963).

On 12 November 1964, when Henri was nine, his grandmother abdicated and his father became Grand Duke. By two sovereign decisions of 14 April 1973 the Grand Duke decided that "Henri will be considered as having reached the age of majority as from 16 April 1973, the date on which he will have reached the age of eighteen years" and "that His Royal Highness Prince Henri will bear, in His capacity as Heir Apparent to the Crown of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and of the Grand-Ducal Trust, the title of Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Hereditary Prince of Nassau, Prince of Bourbon of Parma."

Education

Henri was educated in Luxembourg and in France, where he obtained his baccalaureate in 1974, after which he undertook military officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, England on the Standard Military Course (SMC) 7. He then studied political science at University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International Studies, graduating in 1980.

Constitutional position

The Grand Duke with his son Félix in New York City during the 2013 United Nations session

Prince Henri became heir apparent to the Luxembourg throne on the abdication of his paternal grandmother, Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg, on 12 November 1964. From 1980 to 1998, he was a member of the Council of State.

On 4 March 1998, Prince Henri was appointed as lieutenant representative by his father, Grand Duke Jean, meaning that he assumed most of his father's constitutional powers. On 7 October 2000, immediately following the abdication of his father, Henri acceded as Grand Duke of Luxembourg and took the constitutional oath before the Chamber of Deputies later that day.

Role and interests

Grand Duke Henri's royal monogram

As the head of a constitutional monarchy, Grand Duke Henri's duties are primarily representative. However, he retains the constitutional power to appoint the prime minister and government, to dissolve the Chamber of Deputies, to promulgate laws and to accredit ambassadors. With few exceptions, however, he is bound by convention to act on the advice of the government.

Grand Duke Henri is commander-in-chief of the Luxembourg Army, in which he holds the rank of general. In addition, he was made an honorary major in the British Army's Parachute Regiment, effective 19 July 1989.

One of the grand duke's main functions is to represent Luxembourg in the field of foreign affairs. In May 2001, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa undertook their first foreign state visit to Spain at the invitation of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain.

Grand Duke Henri is a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), a member of The Mentor Foundation (established by the World Health Organization) and a director of the Charles Darwin Trust for the Galápagos Islands.

The grand duke lives with his family at Berg Castle in Luxembourg. He also has a holiday home in Cabasson, a village in the commune of Bormes-les-Mimosas in Southern France.

Marriage and family

The Grand Duke with his wife and heir apparent

While studying in Geneva, Henri met the Cuban-born María Teresa Mestre y Batista, who was also a political science student. They married in Luxembourg in a civil ceremony on 4 February 1981 and a religious ceremony on 14 February 1981 with the previous consent of the grand duke, dated 7 November 1980. The couple have five children:

Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg,
Prince Félix of Luxembourg,
Prince Louis of Luxembourg,
Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg,
Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg.

Media and publicity

The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess at the wedding of the Crown Princess of Sweden in 2010

Since the accession of Henri to the Grand Ducal Throne in 2000, the court's approach to media and publicity has varied markedly. In 2002, Grand Duke Henri expressly identified himself with a press conference called by Grand Duchess Maria Teresa with a view to discussing with journalists the shortcomings of her personal relations with her mother-in-law Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte.

In contrast, when the grand ducal couple's first grandchild was born in 2006, the Court Circular pointedly omitted to mention the event, probably as the father Prince Louis was not married at the time. However, the pregnancy was announced in 2005, so the country was informed that the prince and his girlfriend were going to be parents. The press also had access to the child's baptism.

The grand ducal family's approach to media and publicity issues has given rise to media comment regarding the quality of communications advice which has been sought and followed. As well as the public airing of the difficulties between the grand duchess and her mother-in-law, several other events have resulted in adverse publicity, most notably: in 2004, the opening of parliament by the grand duke in person, the first time in over 100 years the monarch had done so; in 2005, the grand duke announced he intended to vote in favour of the European Constitution in the impending referendum, only to be reminded by senior politicians that he had no such right. The proposed sale of large tracts of the Gruenewald in the summer of 2006 was shortly followed by the proposed sale (cancelled shortly afterwards) at Sotheby's of recently deceased Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte's effects.

Waringo report

On 31 January 2020, the Waringo report was released, a governmental report on the internal workings of the monarchy that had been compiled by Jeannot Waringo, former Financial Director of Luxembourg. The report identified significant problems in terms of staff management at the Palace resulting in a high turnover rate and an atmosphere of fear. It noted that internal communications were almost nonexistent. Waringo indicated that the most important staff decisions were made by the Grand Duchess. There was no division of staff for personal use and that for official functions. Waringo was also not able to determine if the grand ducal couple's private activities were financed by the State or not. The report calls for a reform of the monarchy. The Court responded that "(i)n the interests of greater transparency and modernization, the Court will contribute constructively to the implementation of the improvements proposed in this report."

Health

On 3 February 2011, Henri was admitted to the Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg on falling ill. Shortly after, the grand ducal court issued a statement saying that he was to undergo an angioplasty. The day after, the communications chief announced that the procedure had been a success. "The state of His Royal Highness' health is not disturbing," the statement read, before stating the grand duke may leave the hospital within the next few days. Although the reason has not formally been disclosed, it is reported that the grand duke felt ill after waking that day, and the court physician noticed circulation problems. It was then that he was rushed to hospital, to the cardiac unit, and was discharged the following day.

Abdication

On 23 June 2024, his official birthday, Henri announced his plans to abdicate for his son Guillaume.

Titles, styles and honours

Titles and styles

16 April 1955 – 12 November 1964: His Royal Highness Prince Henri of Luxembourg
12 November 1964 – 7 October 2000: His Royal Highness The Hereditary Grand Duke
7 October 2000 – present: His Royal Highness The Grand Duke

Honours

National

Co-Grand Master and Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
Grand Master and Grand Cross of the Order of Civil and Military Merit of Adolph of Nassau
Grand Master and Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown
Grand Master of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Grand Collar of the European Foundation of Merit

Foreign

Austria: Grand Cross, Special Class of the Order of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria
Belgium: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold (1994)
Brazil:
- Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Southern Cross (3 December 2007)
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross
Cape Verde: Grand Cross of the Order of Amílcar Cabral (12 March 2015)
Denmark: Knight of the Order of the Elephant
Estonia: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (5 May 2003)
France: Grand Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honour
Finland: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (November 2008)
Germany: Grand Cross, Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Greece: Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer (July 2001)
Holy See: Knight Grand Cross with the Collar of the Order of Pope Pius IX
Italy: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (14 March 2003)
Japan: Knight Grand Cordon with Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum (27 November 2017)
Latvia:
- Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Three Stars (5 December 2006)
- Grand Cross of the Cross of Recognition (13 March 2023)
Mali: Grand Cross of the National Order of Mali (9 November 2005)
Netherlands:
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands (24 April 2006)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown
Norway: Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of St. Olav (18 April 1996)
Poland: Grand Cross of the Order of the White Eagle (2014)
Portugal:
- Grand Cross with Collar of the Military Order of Christ (11 May 2022)
- Grand Cross with Collar of the Military Order of Saint James of the Sword (7 September 2010)
- Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Prince Henry (6 May 2005)
- Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Liberty (23 May 2017)
Romania: Grand Gross with Collar of the Order of the Star of Romania (2004)
Senegal: Grand Cross of the National Order of the Lion (2018)
Slovakia: Grand Cross of the Order of the White Double Cross (2002)
Sovereign Military Order of Malta: Bailiff Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Order of Saint John.
Spain:
- Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece (13 April 2007)
- Knight of the Collar of the Order of Charles III (11 May 2001)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III (8 July 1980)
Sweden:
- Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Seraphim (12 September 1983)
- Recipient of the 50th Birthday Badge Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf
Turkey: Member of the Order of the State of Republic of Turkey (19 November 2013)
United Kingdom:
- Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
- Recipient of the Sandhurst Medal (22 September 2020)