Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg Facts for Kids

Prince Guillaume is the oldest son of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg. He was born on November 11, 1981. Since October 2000, he has been the heir apparent, meaning he is next in line to become the ruler of Luxembourg. In October 2024, he also became the regent, which means he is currently helping his father rule the country. He is expected to become the Grand Duke on October 3, 2025, when his father steps down.

Prince Guillaume's Early Life and School
What the Hereditary Grand Duke Does
Prince Guillaume's Family Life
Hobbies and Skills
Titles and Style
- Awards and Honors
  - Foreign Awards
See also

Prince Guillaume's Early Life and School

Prince Guillaume was born on November 11, 1981, in Luxembourg City. He is the first child of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa. He has four younger brothers and sisters: Prince Félix, Prince Louis, Princess Alexandra, and Prince Sébastien.

Guillaume went to school in Luxembourg and Switzerland. He also studied at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England. Later, he continued his studies in the United Kingdom and Switzerland, focusing on philosophy and anthropology. In 2009, he earned a bachelor's degree in letters and political science. From 2018 to 2019, he attended a special training program at the Royal College of Defence Studies in London.

Before his higher education, Prince Guillaume gained work experience at different companies. He also became an officer in the Luxembourg Army in 2002 and holds the rank of colonel.

What the Hereditary Grand Duke Does

Guillaume has been the heir apparent to the crown of Luxembourg since his father became Grand Duke in 2000.

Since 2001, he has been the honorary chairman of Luxembourg's Board of Economic Development. This group helps promote and grow the country's economy. He has also been a member of the Council of State since 2005. In 2005, he attended an important conference at the United Nations in New York City. In 2012, he worked at the European Commission and for Luxembourg's team at the European Union in Brussels.

Prince Guillaume supports many organizations. He is a patron for groups like the Luxembourg Cycling Sport Federation, Youth Hostels Central, and Special Olympics Luxembourg.

In 1997, Guillaume joined a humanitarian camp in Nepal with the Luxembourg Scout Movement. He helped with planting trees and other projects to help communities in need. In 2017, he joined the board of the World Scout Foundation to help scouting grow globally.

In 1999, he took part in a charity mission in Mexico. He helped provide education and social support to young people in a very poor area. For over 10 years, he led the Kräizbierg Foundation, which helps people with disabilities. In 2011, he became its honorary president.

Since 2016, the Hereditary Grand Duke has been on the board of directors for the Europäische Stiftung Kaiserdom zu Speyer Foundation. He is also a member of the board for the Fondation du Grand-Duc et de la Grande-Duchesse.

On October 8, 2024, Prince Guillaume was named lieutenant representative, also known as regent. This means he took over some of his father's official duties, like signing decrees and swearing in ambassadors. This is usually the first step before a Grand Duke steps down in Luxembourg. On December 24, 2024, Grand Duke Henri announced that he would step down on October 3, 2025. When Guillaume becomes Grand Duke, he will be known as Guillaume V.

Prince Guillaume's Family Life

On April 26, 2012, it was announced that Prince Guillaume would marry Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy from Belgium. They had a civil wedding on October 19, 2012, and a religious wedding the next day at the Notre-Dame Cathedral.

Guillaume and Stéphanie have two sons. Their first son, Prince Charles, was born on May 10, 2020. Their second son, Prince François, was born on March 27, 2023. Prince Charles is second in line to the throne, and Prince François is third.

Hobbies and Skills

Prince Guillaume enjoys music and sports. He plays the piano and likes football, swimming, and volleyball. He can speak several languages, including Luxembourgish, French, German, Spanish, and English. He often represents his parents at events in other countries.

Titles and Style

Styles of The Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg

Reference style	His Royal Highness
Spoken style	Your Royal Highness

Prince Guillaume's full title is: His Royal Highness Prince Guillaume Jean Joseph Marie, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Hereditary Prince of Nassau, Prince of Bourbon-Parma.

Awards and Honors

Country	Date	Appointment
Luxemburg	11 December 1999	Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
	11 December 1999	Grand Cross of Order of Adolphe of Nassau
	23 June 2012	Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown
Belgium	15 October 2019	Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown
France	5 March 2015	Grand Officer of the Order of the Legion of Honour
Italy	30 January 2009	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Netherlands	21 March 2012	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau
Netherlands	30 April 2013	Recipient of the King Willem-Alexander Inauguration Medal
Portugal	23 May 2017	Grand Cross of the Order of Aviz
Senegal	24 February 2023	Commander of the National Order of the Lion
Slovakia	7 September 2005	Grand Officer of the Order of the White Double Cross
United Kingdom	22 September 2020	Recipient of the Sandhurst Medal