(L-R) Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg; Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg;
Credit: © Maison du Grand-Duc
The Maison du Grand-Duc and Luxembourg's Ministry of State have released the first details of the celebrations set to mark the change of reign in the Grand Duchy in October 2025.
This follows the appointment of Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, as "Lieutenant-Représentant" (Lieutenant-Representative) on 8 October 2024 and the subsequent announcement by Grand Duke Henri of his intention to abdicate in favour of his son later this year.
The official ceremonies will take place on Friday 3 October 2025. The main event will be the signing of the Act of Abdication by Grand Duke Henri at the Grand Ducal Palace in Luxembourg-Ville, in the presence of the President of the Chamber of Deputies (Luxembourg's parliament), Claude Wiseler, and Prime Minister Luc Frieden, followed by the swearing in of Prince Guillaume at the Chamber of Deputies.
After the ceremony, the Grand Ducal Family will appear on the balcony of the palace. The public will also have the opportunity to greet the new Grand Ducal Couple on Place Guillaume II, where the council of aldermen of the City of Luxembourg will pay tribute to the newly enthroned Grand Duke.
The government will host a reception for the institutions and the diplomatic corps at the Cercle Cité in the presence of the new Grand Duke and Grand Duchess.
An evening gala dinner at the Grand Ducal Palace will conclude this first day.
On Saturday 4 October 2025, the formal ceremonies will be followed by a day of celebrations in several cities and key locations across the country.
Residents of the Grand Duchy and the Greater Region, along with all those who wish to do so, will have the opportunity to greet the new Grand Ducal Couple at three major public celebrations to mark the change of reign. These will take place in Wiltz, Dudelange and Luxembourg City.
During this festive event entitled "Dem Grand-Duc seng feierlech Tournée", the new Grand Ducal Couple will take part in these three publics celebrations but will also make stops in Grevenmacher and Steinfort.
During a ceremony at around 20:00, the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess will arrive in the capital via the Grande-Duchesse Charlotte Bridge (Rout Bréck). A nighttime drone show and a concert featuring Luxembourgish artists will conclude the day on the Glacis site in Luxembourg-Limpertsberg.
The events of 4 October are being organised under the coordination of the Maison du Grand-Duc, the Ministry of State and the relevant state and municipal administrations, with the support of the teams from den Atelier.
On Sunday 5 October 2025, at the invitation of the Archbishop of Luxembourg, the Grand Ducal Family will attend a Te Deum service at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg-Ville.
Further details about the festivities in October will be announced at a later date.
