Grand Duke Guillaume has sat down for his first interview as sovereign alongside his wife, Grand Duchess Stéphanie.
The joint interview took place with RTL.
The new Grand Duke acknowledged that it feels “very special” to become a head of state after a lifetime of preparation. He said, “We live in a fantastic society.” He believes that the monarchy “can build a bridge” within the country. “I will, of course, do this together with the politicians, and I look forward to this mission,” he added.
A recent survey showed that 69% of respondents supported the parliamentary monarchy. Grand Duke Guillaume said, “I believe legitimacy truly comes from the people. My role will genuinely be to continue to represent the country of Luxembourg with dignity, both at home and abroad.”
Grand Duchess Stéphanie reflected on her childhood in Belgium and the continuity of the monarchy. She remembered being shocked by the death of King Baudouin, thinking, “A king can’t possibly die.” However, when King Albert succeeded his brother, “in my subconscious childhood mind, everything was all right again.” She believes that this continuity is “the great advantage of a monarchy.”
Grand Duke Guillaume said that his parents advised him to stay true to himself and never to change. He said it was “the best advice they could have given me.”
Maison du Grand-Duc / Sophie Margue
The couple has two young sons, Prince Charles and Prince François. They acknowledged the challenge of balancing their public duties and their private lives. The Grand Duke said, “Our real challenge will be to shield them, not to expose them too much, so that they can still have a normal childhood. But of course, when there are big moments for the country […] they will naturally stand by our side,”
Grand Duchess Stéphanie said, “In public, I am 100% Grand Duchess. At home, however, I am 100% a mother, and there, we are a family.”
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