Luxembourg · 40th wedding anniversary of the Grand Ducal couple

Henri, born in 1955, has been Grand Duke of Luxembourg since 2000. He succeeded his father Jean after the latter abdicated. As head of state of a parliamentary monarchy, Henri primarily performs constitutional and representative duties. These include the formal appointment of the government, the promulgation of laws and the representation of Luxembourg on state visits. Political decision-making authority lies with the elected Chamber of Deputies and the government supported by it.

Maria Teresa Mestre was born in Havana in 1956. Her family left Cuba after the revolution and later lived, among other places, in the United States and Switzerland. Henri and Maria Teresa met while studying political science at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva. Their marriage produced five children: Guillaume, Félix, Louis, Alexandra and Sébastien. Their eldest son Guillaume is the designated heir to the throne as Hereditary Grand Duke.

The wedding took place in Luxembourg as both a civil and a religious ceremony. The religious wedding ceremony was held in Notre-Dame Cathedral, which is closely associated with the Grand Ducal family. The crypt, where several members of the dynasty are buried, is also located there.

Family events of the Grand Ducal family appear comparatively frequently on Luxembourgish coins. This is related to the monarch’s position as head of state and to the country’s dynastic tradition. Regular Luxembourgish euro coins already bear the portrait of the Grand Duke. Commemorative issues also mark jubilees of the throne, births, marriages and other anniversaries of the ruling family. The private occasion is thus also treated as an event of state representation. The issue in February also directly referred to the anniversary at the time.