Stéphanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Stéphanie
Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
Stéphanie in 2013
Born	Countess Stéphanie Marie Claudine Christine de Lannoy (1984-02-18) 18 February 1984 (age 41) Ronse, East Flanders, Belgium
Spouse	Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg ​ (m. 2012)​
Issue	Prince Charles of Luxembourg Prince François of Luxembourg
House	Lannoy
Father	Count Philippe de Lannoy
Mother	Alix della Faille de Leverghem

Princess Stéphanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg was born Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy on 18 February 1984. She is the wife of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume. He is the heir to the throne of Luxembourg.

Stéphanie and Guillaume became engaged on 26 April 2012. They had a civil wedding ceremony on 19 October 2012. A religious service followed the next day. The couple has two sons, Prince Charles and Prince François.

Early Life and Family Background

Stéphanie Marie Claudine Christine de Lannoy was born on 18 February 1984. Her birthplace was Ronse, in East Flanders, Belgium. She is the youngest of eight children. Her parents were Count Philippe de Lannoy (1922–2019) and Alix della Faille de Leverghem (1941–2012).

Her family, the House of Lannoy, is a very old noble family. They have been known since the 13th century in a region called Hainaut. Members of her family have been important leaders in the military and in government.

Education and Studies

Stéphanie went to school in Belgium and France. She studied at Sancta Maria de Ronse and Collège Saint-Odile. Later, she returned to Brussels for studies at L'Institut de la Vierge Fidèle. She also spent a year in Moscow studying Russian language and literature.

She earned a degree in German philology (the study of language and literature) from the University of Louvain. She also received a master's degree from Humboldt University of Berlin. Stéphanie can speak French, Luxembourgish, English, and German very well.

While in Berlin, Stéphanie worked as an intern. She helped the Walloon Export and Foreign Investment Agency. When she came back to Belgium, she worked for a company that manages investments in Brussels. From 2018 to 2019, she studied art history at the Sotheby's Institute in London.

Marriage and Becoming a Mother

Stéphanie first met Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume in 2004. They were at a social event in Germany. They met again in 2009 and started dating. They dated for about two years before they got engaged.

Their engagement was announced on 26 April 2012. Countess Stéphanie and the Hereditary Grand Duke were married in a civil ceremony. This took place at the Town Hall on 19 October 2012. Their religious wedding was held the next day. It was at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Luxembourg. Stéphanie wore a beautiful dress designed by Elie Saab. She also wore the Lannoy family diamond tiara.

Stéphanie and Guillaume have two sons. Charles was born on 10 May 2020. Prince François was born on 27 March 2023. They are second and third in line to the throne of Luxembourg.

Stéphanie became a citizen of Luxembourg. She gave up her Belgian citizenship. She said she was proud to share her husband's nationality. She felt it was important for her role as Hereditary Grand Duchess.

Royal Activities and Patronages

As the Hereditary Grand Duchess, Stéphanie often travels with her husband. They visit other countries and attend many events in Luxembourg.

Since June 2012, she has been on the board of the Fondation du Grand-Duc et de la Grande-Duchesse. In 2016, she became the chair of the board for The Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art. She became its honorary president in 2021. In 2013, she became a patron for the Les Amis des Musées d’art et d’histoire du Luxembourg association. She often joined their "Midis de l'Art" events.

In 2014, she became a patron for Scienteens Lab. This is a research lab for high school students interested in biomedical science. She is also a patron for Blëtz asbl. This Luxembourg association helps people affected by stroke. She supports their activities, including during World Stroke Day. Since May 2017, she has been the honorary president of De Mains de Maîtres Luxembourg. This group supports skilled artisans. She also supports Lët'z Arles, which helps Luxembourg photographers show their work.

In 2016, Princess Stéphanie and her husband organized an exhibition. It aimed to highlight Luxembourg's traditional crafts. She also visits local organic farms. She attends discussions about farming.

In July 2021, Princess Stéphanie, her husband, and son opened the Ettelbruck Agricultural Fair. On 12 July, they visited nursing homes in Luxembourg. They wanted to check on elderly people during the COVID-19 pandemic. They thanked the staff for their hard work. In November, Stéphanie attended art exhibitions. In May 2022, she went to a charity concert. It was called "Luxembourg For Peace." The concert raised money for victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Honours and Awards

Princess Stéphanie has received several honours from different countries.

Country	Award	Ribbon	Other
Luxemburg	Grand Cross of Order of Adolphe of Nassau
Netherlands	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau
Belgium	Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown
Portugal	Grand Cross of the Order of Camões

See also

In Spanish: Estefanía de Lannoy para niños