Life of Grand Duke Henri: Symbols, Important Moments, Protocols

[drimal]

The Palace- Le Palais Grand Ducal

The Palace is the only dwelling of the Grand Ducal family which can be visited and this every summer! The building was the city hall of Luxembourg (city) before 11th June 1554. At that date the city hall was going up into flames by a powder explosion and this fire had kindled so many damages that nearly the whole old town with the city hall was destroyed. 18 years later it was rebuild.
By the siege of the fortress under Louis XIV (French King of Sun) the building was destroyed by bombs of French soldiers. The building was renovated and was a certain time the seat of the province.
After the French Revolution it was a Prefecture des Departements des Forêts under Napoleon I in the 19th century (who was living in it several times) and after the threaty of Vienna in 1815 the government moved into the palace, later on the parliament and the council of state joined. 1860 the parliament left the palace and moved into the right site where it is today yet!
Wilhelm II take use of the building during his rare visits in Luxembourg, he slept there and in 1883 a statue of honour to his father was inaugurated on the "Knuedler" (Knuedler= the place where the palace is)

Under the Nassau-Weilburg (the ancestors of the actual Grand Duke) it became an exclusive seat of the Grand Ducal family. Before there were large renovations of architects Bordieu and Arendt.The entry door was now in the middle, the facade had now again the ancient stile of Renaissance and in 1895 Grand Duke Adolph and Grand Duchess Marie-Adelheid moved into the castle.
The furnishings of the palace were changed several times, especially under Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte. On the first floor there are the represantion rooms and the second floor is privacy of the Grand Ducal family. The palace is actually the official seat of the Grand Duke.
Here is his furniture, here are the meetings of State visits, the wedding celebrations of Henri/Maria Teresa, Marie Astrid/ Carl Christian and Margaretha /Nikolaus were here and the christening of the princes.



Here are some pics of the outside! I will scan the interior pics and post them in the next days (that's promised!)!


Note: The soldier you see on the pics is the guardian and the soldier changing two times a day is very popular by tourists!

 

[KatieLouise]

So Gorgeous, thank you, Danielle! I wonder how many rooms are in Colmar-Berg... It'd certainly be nice to live there... ahem.

Maria Teresa and Henri outside Fischbach!

This was the photo of Maria Teresa outside Colmar-Berg which I think I have now resized!

 

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

When was that first pic taken?

 

[KatieLouise]

Umm... do you mean the one of MT and Henri at Fischbach, MT at Colmar-Berg or another completely different one?

 

[hillary_nugent]

Thanks for the pics everybody ^______^ My favourite is the Colmar-Berg, does anyone by any chance have a full picture of the Colmar-Berg?

 

[KatieLouise]

Thanks for the pics everybody ^______^ My favourite is the Colmar-Berg, does anyone by any chance have a full picture of the Colmar-Berg?

Well, it would be because that's where you'll live if you become Grand Duchess!!! It's such a gorgeous place though - it looks quite Disney-esque.

 

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

Umm... do you mean the one of MT and Henri at Fischbach, MT at Colmar-Berg or another completely different one?

Fischbach.

 

[KatieLouise]

Ahh.. good! I know that one - it was taken on 9/9/2000

 

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

Really? It doesn't look like it was taken that long ago.

 

[drimal]

Berg Castle in Colmar-Berg

Its history

The first record of a Lord of Berg(he) dates from 1311. The Château de Berg changed hands frequently until the King-Grand Duke William II purchased the estate from Baron Claude du Pasquier in 1845. In 1848, the Château de Berg was recognized by the new Constitution as the exclusive home of the Grand Duke.​

During the reign of William III, the Château underwent many alterations in the neo-Gothic style. Then, in 1891, the private estates of the King became the property of Grand Duke Adolph. It was during this year that the Crown Prince William IV moved into in the Château de Berg, where six daughters were to be born out of his marriage with the Infanta Marie-Anne de Bragança.​

On his accession to the throne, William IV had the old Château demolished, and replaced it with a building better suited to the needs of the day. The plans were drawn up by Munich architect Max Ostenrieder, and executed by the Luxembourg architect Pierre Funck-Eydt. Work started in 1907, and was completed in 1911.​

The Grand Duchesses Marie-Adélaïde and Charlotte resided there during their successive reigns. The Luxembourg State acquired the Château in 1934 and placed it at the disposal of the Grand-Ducal family.​

During the Second World War, the Nazis established an elite school for young girls in the Château. The alterations they imposed caused a great deal of damage, and like the Grand-Ducal Palace, the furniture and many works of art were plundered.​

From 1948 onward, the amendment of the Constitution made the Château de Berg the home of the Grand Duke. During the restoration work undertaken after the war, the Grand Duchess and her family moved to the Château de Fischbach until 1964.​

The pictures​

1.and 2. some shocking pictures (sorry ) of the demolition of Berg castle on 25.11.1907; from 1908 to 1911 the new Berg castle was build​

3. Grand Duke Henri and his wife Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte before Berg Castle (nice picture but in this silly bmp size)​

And now three pics I scan of books :​

4. renovation works of 1964 (before Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte moved in)​

5. Grand Duke Jean in front of Berg castle​

6. view from above (like in a fairytale! )​

7. view you have if you would stand in the inner courtyard​

 

[drimal]

The promised interior pics of the different residences!

Here are the promised interior pics I scan from books:

1. behind Fischbach castle/ Henri in his office
2. inside the Palace; in the "Salle des Rois" (Room of Kings) where many portraits of sovereigns are decorating the walls
3. inside the Palace; the upper floor which is in white, yellow and golden colours
4. inside the Palace; in the hall where the guests of the Grand Ducal family are received (the Grand Duchess gave her signature in the interior design )
5. the so called "Country Look" inside Fischbach castle
6. above Fischbach castle and below Berg castle
7. Fischbach castle

 

[KatieLouise]

Wow! drimal, these are great! You're a goldmine of pictures and information Which magazine/s do those interior pictures come from?

 

[drimal]

Wow! drimal, these are great! You're a goldmine of pictures and information Which magazine/s do those interior pictures come from?

These interior pics come from Telecran and Revue. It's the special editions before Henri's throne achievement and they had many pics and interesting reports!

 

[msfroyste]

wow. i love the pics. thanks drimal. for some strange and bizarre reason, i didn't really expect fishbach to have such lovely "state rooms".

 

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

Yeah, how long did it take you to find all this stuff?

 

[drimal]

Yeah, how long did it take you to find all this stuff?

Well I'm a "fan" of the Grand Ducal family since 1992 but I began collecting pics and articles of them in 2000 as Grand Duke Henri achieved the throne.

There were many reports of them in magazines, newspapers and on television and it was a delight for me to search more background informations. So I'm collecting since four/five years.
I know pretty much from a report called Zwee Liewen fier e Land (two lifes for one country), so for example that Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte is filming in her freetime and Grand Duke Jean is chief-scout.
Prince Guillaume (son of Henri) is very pleased to become a Grand Duke one day, but his younger brother Felix won't have this role and is happy that he is not the eldest son.

 

[msfroyste]

Well I'm a "fan" of the Grand Ducal family since 1992 but I began collecting pics and articles of them in 2000 as Grand Duke Henri achieved the throne.

There were many reports of them in magazines, newspapers and on television and it was a delight for me to search more background informations. So I'm collecting since four/five years.
I know pretty much from a report called Zwee Liewen fier e Land (two lifes for one country), so for example that Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte is filming in her freetime and Grand Duke Jean is chief-scout.
Prince Guillaume (son of Henri) is very pleased to become a Grand Duke one day, but his younger brother Felix won't have this role and is happy that he is not the eldest son.

cool and thanks for the info. what kind of filming is J-C involved in and when did guillaume and felix say what they said about becoming grand duke one day? i find felix's opinion on the matter humorous.

 

[hillary_nugent]

younger brother Felix won't have this role and is happy that he is not the eldest son.

Told you he was a lazy bum hahahahaha

It is such an advantage that you live in Luxembourg Drimal ^__^ i'm definitely glad you joined this forum ^__^ what got you interested in the Luxembourg royal family? ^___^

 

[drimal]

Told you he was a lazy bum hahahahaha

It is such an advantage that you live in Luxembourg Drimal ^__^ i'm definitely glad you joined this forum ^__^ what got you interested in the Luxembourg royal family? ^___^

In 1992 Grand Duke Jean visited my village and I was very pleased that I could greet him (I was only 8 years old at that time!)with my school.
From that moment on I like the Grand Ducal family and sooner I learn more about the Grand Ducal family and they are all very sympathic.
I find it fascinating to know something about Royals and to see that they are also human beings with a heart on the right site.
The Luxembourgers have a very special relationship with the Grand Ducal family and one of the reasons for that is the small superficy of the country. In Great Britain it will be really hard to meet the Queen or Prince Charles but in small countries you have better chances. Certainly in Monaco there are people who meets Rainier's family everyday!

 

[drimal]

Important moments in the life of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duke Jean

The days on which members of their family are gone from us!

Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte (wife of Grand Duke Jean) and sovereign from 1964 to 2000 died on 10th January 2005 with 77 years.
Grand Duchess Charlotte (mother of Grand Duke Jean) died on 9th July 1985 with 89 years.
Princess Hilda of Luxembourg (sister of Grand Duchess Charlotte) died on 8th September 1979 with 82 years.
Prince Charles of Luxembourg (brother of Grand Duke Jean) died on 26th July 1977 with 50 years.
Prince Felix (husband of Grand Duchess Charlotte) died on 8th April 1974 with 77 years.
Archduchess Maria Antonia of Parma (Princess of Braganza) died on 14th May 1959 with 97 years.

 

[hillary_nugent]

Prince Charles of Luxembourg (brother of Grand Duke Jean) died on 26th July 1977 with 50 years.

He died young compared to his relatives what did he die from?

 

[KatieLouise]

Prince Charles died of a heart attack in 1977 - he was survived by his wife Joan and their two children, Princess Charlotte and Prince Robert.

 

[hillary_nugent]

Thanks for explanation KatieLouise...poor prince Charles 50 years old is very young nowadays...

 

[drimal]

The correct pronounciation of the names!

I think it is a good idea to post how the names of the Grand Ducal family are pronounced in a correct way. Most of the forum users are used to speaking English and it is very difficult for them to pronounce French names or words.

Guillaume: Gi - om
Henri: Hon-ri (the "n" is not pronounced, the "en" in Henri is similar to the "or" in morning, in morning you don't pronounce the "r")
Jean: Jon (the "n" is not pronounced, similar to Henri)
Louis: Lu-i
Sebastien: Se-bas-tiien (the "i" is long)

All the other names like Josephine Charlotte, Alexandra, Felix or Margaretha are easy to pronounce for people not used to speaking French.

 

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

Wait, the Jean pronunciation is confusing me. Its pronounced Jo?

 

[Nathalian]

Cof Cof Cof....how do you pronouce Guillaume??? Gillauom?

 

[Danielle]

I found a site where it pronounces the names in French, including the names drimal mentioned.

Boy Names: http://french.about.com/library/travel/bl-fr-names-m.htm
Girls Names: http://french.about.com/library/travel/bl-fr-names-f.htm (my name is there as well )

 

[hillary_nugent]

hahahaha to tell you the truth i didn't think 'Guillaume' would sound so awful *armed for attacks* hehehe...I love the name Sebastien though ^___^

 

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

So lets get back on topic...any royal functions that got canceled due to the death of JC?

 

[msfroyste]

yes, all official functions for the next 6 wks. the grand ducal court is in official mourning.