Luxembourg is a constitutional monarchy whose Head of State is the Grand Duke of Luxembourg (or Grand Duchess of Luxembourg in the exceptional but twice occurred event of the sovereign being female). The Grand Duke's eldest son is the Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Since 1964, the Grand Duchy is inherited within the House of Bourbon-Parma.

The Grand Duke and other members of the Grand Ducal Family are styled Royal Highnesses. They are also Princes and Princesses of Nassau and Bourbon-Parma.

The line of succession

Present monarch: HRH Grand Duke Henri (since October 7, 2000), born 1955

1. HRH Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, son of the Grand Duke, born 1981
2. HRH Prince Félix, son of the Grand Duke, born 1984
3. HRH Prince Louis, son of the Grand Duke, born 1986
4. HRH Prince Sébastien , son of the Grand Duke, born 1992
5. HRH Prince Guillaume , brother of the Grand Duke, born 1963
6. HRH Prince Paul-Louis , son of Prince Guillaume, born 1998
7. HRH Prince Léopold , son of Prince Guillaume, born 2000

History

At the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the Duchy of Luxembourg was raised to the rank of a grand duchy and was ceded to the new King of the Netherlands, who thus also became the first Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Luxembourg stayed in this personal union until 1890, when different rules of succession parted the titles from each other. Specifically, the daughter of William III became Queen of the Netherlands, while a woman was not allowed to succeed to the throne of Luxembourg, giving way to a more distant relative.

In 1907, however, Grand Duke William IV, having no sons, allowed his eldest daughter to succeed him. The Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde had great impact on Luxembourgish politics, until she was forced to abdicate in 1919. Since then, the Grand Dukes have kept to fulfilling representative duties.

As in the Dutch tradition, none of the recent Grand Dukes of Luxembourg has died in office: each has abdicated when he felt his heir was ready to assume the title.

Grand Dukes of Luxembourg

The House of Orange-Nassau

• 1815–1840 : William I (1772–1843) (also King William I of the Netherlands)
• 1840–1849 : William II (1792–1849) (also King William II of the Netherlands)
• 1849–1890 : William III (1817–1890) (also King William III of the Netherlands)

The House of Nassau-Weilburg

• 1890–1905 : Adolf (1817–1905)
• 1905–1912 : William IV (1852–1912)
• 1912–1919 : Marie-Adélaïde (1894–1924 abdicated)
• 1919–1964 : Charlotte (1896–1985, abdicated)
• 1964–2000 : Jean (born 1921, abdicated)
• Since 2000 : Henri (born 1955)

External links

• Accession to the Throne of HRH Grand Duke Henri - Official government site, with background information