Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Henri |
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Henri in 2023
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| Grand Duke of Luxembourg | |||||
| Reign | 7 October 2000 – present | ||||
| Predecessor | Jean | ||||
| Heir-apparent | Guillaume (Regent, since 2024) |
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| Prime Ministers | Jean-Claude Juncker Xavier Bettel Luc Frieden |
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| Regent of Luxembourg | |||||
| Regency | 4 March 1998 – 7 October 2000 | ||||
| Monarch | Jean | ||||
| Born | 16 April 1955 Betzdorf Castle, Betzdorf, Luxembourg |
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| House | Luxembourg-Nassau (official) Bourbon-Parma (agnatic) |
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| Father | Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg | ||||
| Mother | Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium | ||||
| Religion | Roman Catholic | ||||
| Signature |  |
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Henri (Luxembourgish pronunciation: [ˈhɑ̃ːʀi]; French: Henri Albert Gabriel Félix Marie Guillaume, German: Heinrich; born 16 April 1955) is Grand Duke of Luxembourg, reigning since 2000. He is the eldest son of Grand Duke Jean and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium, as well as a first cousin of King Philippe of Belgium. In 2019, his net worth was estimated around US$4 billion.
Having delegated some of his powers to his eldest son and heir apparent, Guillaume, in 2024, he is set to abdicate in his favour on 3 October 2025.
Early life and education
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."
Henri was educated in Luxembourg and in France, where he obtained his Baccalauréat 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.
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.
Reign
Accession
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. He became Henri I even though Luxembourg had 7 monarchs named Henri prior to 1815.
Role and interests
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.
See also
In Spanish: Enrique de Luxemburgo para niños
