Mother of Grand Duke Henri dies at age 77
LUXEMBOURG: Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte of Luxembourg, the mother of Grand Duke Henri, died Monday after a long battle with lung cancer, the government announced. She was 77.
The court immediately declared a six-week mourning period.
Josephine-Charlotte was married to Grand Duke Jean, who ruled the tiny nation of 450,000 from 1964 until 2000.
"The death of the Grand Duchess is a great loss for the country and its people,'' said Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker. "With her husband, Grand Duke Jean, she always made an effort to represent Luxembourg at home and abroad with dignity,'' he added.
Josephine-Charlotte also was the sister of Belgian king Albert II. She is survived by her husband Jean, Grand Duke Henri, Princes Jean and Guillaume and Princesses Marie-Astrid and Margaretha.
The funeral will take place on Saturday, government spokesman Guy Schuller said.
The death comes at a difficult time for the Grand Duchy, just as it has taken over the six-month presidency of the European Union early this month. - AP
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