Grand Duke Henri takes the oath before the Chamber of Deputies, in the presence of H.M. the Queen of the Netherlands and TT.MM. the King and Queen of the Belgians. 

‘I swear to observe the Constitution and the laws of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, to maintain national independence and territorial integrity, as well as public and individual freedoms.’ 

In the days that followed, the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess paid courtesy visits to Paris and Berlin.

In Madrid, the Grand Duchess attended the International Conference on the Culture of Peace at the invitation of Frederic Mayor Zaragoza, Director-General of UNESCO. 

The Grand Duchess spoke on ‘The Intelligence of the Heart’ and announced the direction that her commitments would take. Two months later, she went on a humanitarian mission to Mali.

The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary, surrounded by their five children.

The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess merge their respective foundations into the ‘Foundation of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess’, thereby demonstrating their social commitment at a national level.

This is the date of the first National Day with the new Grand Duke. It is a time of ‘visits throughout the country. It is also the first televised Christmas speech.

Two hijacked airliners crashed into the towers in Manhattan. The Grand Duke, ‘deeply shocked by the tragedy’, sent a message of condolence to US President George W. Bush.

During a UNESCO mission to Bangladesh, the Grand Duchess meets Professor Yunus. This marks the beginning of a lasting friendship with the man who, for his work in microfinance benefitting the poorest communities, will win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. 

Together with ‘the banker of the poor’, the Grand Duchess launched the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation, a concept she imported to Luxembourg, where she created the first European Microfinance Prize and LuxFlag, of which she is President.

The University of Luxembourg is founded. The University shares the same DNA as the Grand Duchy: international exchanges and bilateral partnerships. 

The success of Uni.lu (7,000 students from 150 countries) benefits young people, research, the economy and Luxembourg. Almost all State Visits include a stop at the university and the historic and cultural site of Belval.

A key date in the democratic calendar: the general elections keep Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime Minister since 1995, in power. He remains in office until 2013. Xavier Bettel succeeds him until 2024, before handing over to Luc Frieden.

The Grand Duke spent more than half of his reign with the same Prime Minister and had three different ones in 25 years. This stability, also supported by the constitutional monarchy, is one of the keys to the Grand Duchy's success.

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Luxembourg, a founding member of the European Union, is also its most pro-European country. 

At the heart of the Union, it is a welcoming country with citizens of more than 170 nationalities living alongside cross-border workers in a successful example of inclusion and social cohesion.

The Grand Duchess is appointed member of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Executive Committee of the Luxembourg Red Cross. This is her most important national commitment, but she has many others: the Cancer Foundation (Fondation Cancer, Relais pour la Vie – Télévie), ALAN – Association for rare diseases (ALAN – Maladies rares), Alzheimer Luxembourg, Tricentenaire, the Association of Parents of Mentally Handicapped Children (APEMH – Association des Parents d’Enfants Mentalement Handicapés), etc.

The Grand Duchess is appointed ‘Eminent Champion for Children’ by UNICEF and participates in the 30th anniversary of UNICEF Luxembourg in Mondorf, where the annual meeting of national committees on the theme of ‘Children and AIDS’ is held.

The Grand Duke expresses reservations about the law on euthanasia. He cites reasons of conscience. This will spark a major constitutional debate, leading to a revision of the Constitution in 2023.

The Grand Duchess visits Burundi with UNICEF. Together with the Community of Sant'Egidio, she decides to visit the central prison in Bujumbura, where many children are being held, and denounces their conditions of imprisonment. 

Five months later, she is in Stockholm for the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Grand Duke introduces gender equality in succession to the throne. This is an important change that comes three years after the Grand Duke promulgated the law on equal opportunities for men and women.

Prince Guillaume marries Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy. This happy event, following the marriage of Grand Duke Jean to Princess Joséphine-Charlotte, renews the ties between the Grand Duchy and Belgium.

The Grand Duke promulgates the law on marriage for all. Luxembourg was one of the first countries to decriminalise homosexuality in 1974. This is an opportunity to remember that there are still 63 countries in the world where homosexuality remains a criminal offence.

The Grand Duchess took part in the International Conference on Women in Economic Decision-Making, as female entrepreneurship is a subject close to her heart. 

She raised the issue at the Davos Forum in January 2016 and discusses it in greater detail on 29 August 2019 at the MEDEF (Entrepreneurs de France) Summer University: ‘The place of women in society and equality in law and in fact, economic independence and education for girls’.

The Grand Duchess takes up the issue of learning disabilities in Luxembourg. She had already opened the World Dyslexia Forum in Paris in 2010. In Luxembourg, she is patron of the first international forum on these disorders, including dyslexia, which affects Prince Louis.

The Grand Duchess receives Dr Denis Mukwégé in audience, with whom she campaigns against sexual violence in war zones. She had already addressed the subject in 2014 in London. 

She gives a voice to the victims she meets at the ‘Hidden Voices’ exhibition in Geneva. She adds the ‘NOT A TARGET’ campaign to protect emergency services and hospitals in conflicts.

The Grand Duke attends his first United Nations Climate Conference, the COP 23 in Bonn. Every year, this major global environmental event drives home the need for awareness and action. The Grand Duke, who is deeply committed to the planet, is a personal friend of Bertrand Piccard: they share the same pragmatic optimism on the subject.

The law on the promotion of the Luxembourgish language is passed. Luxembourgish, French and German, as well as English, coexist in public and everyday life in the Grand Duchy. Restoring the importance of Luxembourgish means creating a factor of cohesion and integration and affirming a cultural identity.

The Grand Duchess makes a humanitarian trip to Lebanon (UNICEF and ICRC), where she visits the refugee camp near Bar Elias.

Luxembourg hosts the first ‘Stand Speak Rise Up’ forum, organised by the Grand Duchess in Luxembourg in the presence of three Nobel Peace Prize winners and numerous victims of sexual violence from around the world. 

The Grand Duchess extends the forum's work by creating the ‘SSRU’ association. On 12 September 2019, she is declared ‘UN Champion for the fight against conflict-related sexual violence’, an award presented by Ms Pramilla Pratten, UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict.

Grand Duke Jean died at the age of 98. He handed over power to his son Henri in October 2000. His wife, Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte, died on 10 January 2005. 

The Government declares 12 days of national mourning.

First case of COVID in Luxembourg. On 13 March 2020, the Government declares a state of emergency. It remains in force until 24 June. In October, the pandemic enters its second wave. 

The Grand Duke appears on television on 27 October to urge. the population to comply with the rules ‘out of solidarity and respect’. ‘We owe this not only to our fellow citizens, but also to nurses, doctors, care workers and all hospital staff.’ 

Covid claimed 1,123 lives in the Grand Duchy.

A great joy for the family: the birth of Prince Charles, son of Prince Guillaume and Princess Stéphanie. His brother, Prince François, was born on 27 March 2023.

The Maison du Grand-Duc (Grand Ducal Household) is established by Grand Ducal decree. This new administration provides the Grand Duke with the administrative and logistical support necessary for the exercise of his functions as Head of State. It follows on from the Waringo Report on the functioning and management of the Grand Ducal Court.

Luxembourg welcomes Esch as the European Capital of Culture 2022, under the High Patronage of the Grand Duchess. With ‘Esch 2022’, the cultural capital is cross-border, people-oriented, participatory and sustainable. 

More than 3,500 activities attract over 500,000 visitors.

– Russia invades Ukraine. On 25 February, the Grand Duke receives Margarítis Schinás, Vice-President of the European Commission and European Commissioner, at the Palace.

The meeting focuses on the situation in Ukraine and the organisation of the reception of Ukrainian refugees in the countries of the Union. Luxembourg is ready.

‘The Russian invasion of Ukraine is not just a brutal war of aggression, but calls into question everything we have built since 1945 to ensure peaceful coexistence between nations: namely, the principle of resolving conflicts through dialogue rather than force. The repercussions of this war weigh heavily on our entire world.’ (Christmas speech 2022).

This is the date on which the new Luxembourg Constitution comes into force, 175 years after the Ettelbruck Constitution. The text is the result of a long process aimed at adapting the Constitution to current and future developments in our society.

The Grand Duchess attends the Maison du Savoir on the Uni.lu Campus in Belval for the first academic year of 60 bachelor's degree students in nursing. This is a highly anticipated moment in the training of healthcare personnel and in the fight against the shortage of nurses. The Grand Duchess has always supported the cause of healthcare workers.

At the Paris Bar, the Grand Duchess addresses a new aspect in the fight against rape as a weapon of war: she participates in a working group aimed at training lawyers on this very specific topic. When it comes to sexual violence, the justice system must also innovate.

The Grand Duke meets King Charles in Windsor, with whom he shares a passion for the environment. The close relationship between the United Kingdom and Luxembourg continues. In Oxford, he introduces the Grand Duchy to students:

In Oxford, he introduces the Grand Duchy to students: ‘I hope I could convince you that my country is an example of how a small nation can achieve great things through strategic economic planning, political stability, and cultural inclusivity. Its story is one of resilience, adaptability, and forward-thinking, making it a true European success story.’

During his National Day speech at the Luxembourg Philharmonie, the Grand Duke took advantage of a comment about his faith in young people to slip in a sentence that would overshadow everything else: 

‘It is in this context, together with the Grand Duchess, Prince Guillaume and Princess Stéphanie, I wish to inform you that I have decided to appoint Prince Guillaume as Lieutenant- Représentant in October.’ 

The countdown to the change of reign has begun.

The Grand Duke, a member of the International Olympic Committee, is in Paris for the Olympic Games, which he describes as ‘the most extraordinary he has ever seen’. With the Games organised in the city, in exceptional historic venues, Paris has reinvented the Olympic Games.

He returns with the Grand Duchess for the Paralympics in September. He is present when the Grand Duchess awards the bronze medal to Tom Habscheid. The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess show their support for all athletes and all sports.

Pope Francis pays a one-day visit to Luxembourg, 50 years after the visit of John Paul II. The Vatican delegation includes Monsignor Robert Francis Prevost, who still goes unnoticed. 

Pope Francis dies on 21 April 2025. ‘Pope Francis was a man of great compassion, sharing the pain and suffering of others. Constantly concerned about the problems of the most disadvantaged and refugees, he was devoted to the most vulnerable, while remaining attentive to the hopes of young people, ’ wrote the Grand Duke in his message of condolence. 

His successor, Leo XIV, is elected on 8 May and installed on 18 May 2025. The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess are present in Rome.

The Hereditary Grand Duke is appointed ‘Lieutenant- Représentant’. The Grand Duke signs the act at the Palace, then Prince Guillaume takes the oath in the Chamber of Deputies: 

‘I swear to observe the Constitution and the laws and to faithfully fulfil my constitutional duties.‘ 

This marks the ‘official’ start of the change of reign. The Grand Duke makes no secret of his relief.

The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess attend the official reopening of Notre-Dame of Paris Cathedral, paying tribute to the firefighters, architects, civil engineering companies and craftsmen who restored the UNESCO World Heritage Site to its former glory. The Grand Duchess is the godmother of the cathedral's ‘Marie’ bell. The bell survived the fire.

The Grand Duke leads a large delegation of ministers and business leaders to take part in Luxembourg Day at the Osaka World Expo. He admires the Luxembourg pavilion.

‘In these challenging times, when the world is facing increasing tensions and uncertainty, events like Expo 2025 Osaka serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of international dialogue. […] Luxembourg's pavilion is a brilliant example of what can be achieved when we work in harmony. It is the result of remarkable cooperation between Japanese and Luxembourg companies.’