H.R.H. Grand duch*ess Charlotte | Cour grand-ducale (2024)

Grand duch*ess Charlotte Adelgonde Élisabeth Marie Wilhelmine of Luxembourg, duch*ess of Nassau, was the second daughter of Grand Duke Guillaume IV and Grand duch*ess Maria Ana, born Princess of Braganza. She was Grand duch*ess of Luxembourg from 1919until her abdication in 1964.

She had six children with Prince Félix of Bourbon-Parma:

• Prince Jean (1921–2019),
• Princess Elisabeth (1922–2011),
• Princess Marie-Adélaïde (1924– 2007),
• Princess Marie-Gabrielle (1925-),
• Prince Charles (1927–1977),
• Princess Alix (1929–2019).

She died on 9July 1985at Fischbach Castle.

To find out more about H.R.H. Prince Félix

• Read his biography

Charlotte ascended the Throne following the abdication of her sister, Marie-Adélaïde, a few days before her 23rd birthday. On 15January 1919, she took the oath of office before a delegation from the Chamber of Deputies at Berg Castle. On the previous day, 30deputies had voted in favour of sending the delegation to the swearing-in ceremony, 19had voted against.

On 18January, she issued a proclamation, in which she stated:

The interwar years were marked by Luxembourg's entry into the League of Nations in December 1920, and by the creation of the Belgian-Luxembourg Economic Union (UEBL – Union économique belgo-luxembourgeoise) in 1921. Luxembourg managed to get through the global economic crisis and Joseph Bech's government pursued an active foreign policy that enabled Luxembourg to secure its position on the international stage.

In the following years, Grand duch*ess Charlotte managed to win the respect of Luxembourgers through showing great tact and sensitivity. Her grace, elegance and simplicity, combined with a finesse of mind and discernment, served her admirably in this work of bringing people together.

Building a strong link with the population

Grand duch*ess Charlotte acted under new conditions, instituted by the revision of the Constitution in 1919, which redefined and circ*mscribed the prerogatives of the Crown. From then on, the sovereign power no longer resided in the person of the sovereign, but in the Nation. Finally, the sovereign's powers were limited to 'those formally attributed to him by the Constitution and special laws'. This made it impossible for the Grand duch*ess to initiate any personal policy.

Consequently, during the ministerial crisis of 1925and the events of 1937surrounding the so-called law on order, Charlotte did not intervene. Moreover, from 1926until the end of her reign, she maintained cordial and trusting relations with the Prime Minister and later Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Bech.

The threat of war resurfaced in the mid-1930s. Faced with the danger of annexation by Nazi Germany, Luxembourgers developed patriotic feelings, at the heart of which they placed the dynasty.

During the celebration of the centenary of independence in 1939, Grand duch*ess Charlotte was at the centre of the festivities both in the Luxembourg City and in the cantonal capitals.

On 22April 1939, before the Chamber of Deputies, she expressed her faith in the country's future:

On 1September 1939, Germany attacked Poland and, eight months later, its troops violated Luxembourg's unarmed neutrality. On the night of 9to 10May 1940, the Germans invaded the Grand Duchy. The day before, an extraordinary meeting of the Ministerial Council in the capital decided that the Grand Ducal Family should leave Luxembourg to escape the Germans and place itself under the protection of France. Grand duch*ess Charlotte declared that it was a 'difficult, but necessary decision'. Together with her Government, she thus joined the Allied camp.

From France, the Grand duch*ess and her family endured a long journey through Spain, Portugal, to the United States of America, Great Britain and Canada. Nazi Germany tried to convince Charlotte to return to the Grand Duchy, but she replied: 'My heart says yes, but my reasoning tells me not to'. The Grand duch*ess was distressed at being unable to support Luxembourgers at home, but she understood that she could serve them better overseas.

The official seat of the Luxembourg Government was established in London. In 1941, the Grand duch*ess settled there and encouraged Luxembourgers to resist German occupation. Indeed, Grand duch*ess Charlotte addressed the Luxembourgish people through BBC radio from 1940onwards. She expressed her solidarity in a speech on 5September 1940:

"E Gro’ss aus de’fstem Hêrz dén ech glëcklech an dankbar sinn un iech rîchten ze können. Dir wesst we‘ gären ech bei iech bliwe wär, fir mat iech d’Suergen an d’Léd ze délen, de‘ di Deitsch den 10. Mê iwer onst klengt Lang bruocht hun.

D’Wuel and Zo’konft vum Land hun et ânescht gewollt. Et ass nô lânger Iwerléong dat mir ons zu dém Schrött entschloss hun vun iech fortzegoen. Et wor dât ê schwe’ren, mä no’twendege Schrött. An trotzdém ech wéss, dat me‘ we‘ é Letzeburger net domat averstân wor, an trotzdém onse Feind meng Ofeiesenhét vun dohém op all Art a Weis exploite’ert, wôr dé Schrött mir nach kén Ableck léd! En huet mir an der Regierong erlâbt, an aller Freihét, virun der ganzer Welt, bei allen freien Natio’nen, fir d’Rechter and d’Interessen vun onsem Land anzetrieden.

Zönter ve’er Me’nt si mer un der Arbecht.

An haut kennt d’ganz Welt dât Onrecht dât onst Land vun den Deitschen erliden huet an d’Willkür, där d’Lëtzebuerger Vollek ausgesât ass."