Grand Duke Henri & Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Current Events 8: June 2018 - present

[tommy100]

Originally Posted by Somebody

She was barred from directing the Court, that's different from 'working as a Grand Duchess'. She could still support her husband in his duties. The problem was she prioritized her own interests and completely dominated the court.

Exactly, regarding her role the official report said that the Grand Duchess shouldn't be directing the Court, making hiring and firing decisions and having an active hand in policy for the running of the Head of State. That leaves a heck of a lot open for the Grand Duchess to do - promoting charitable causes in Luxembourg, promoting Luxembourg overseas, even working for UNICEF and the like (which she started of doing well). To a certain degree she could even find a specialism that interests her like Stand Speak Rise Up which was supported by the government. A lot of where she has gone wrong is not so much what she has done but how she has done things. She could turn it around and take on the role expected of her, but no she would rather retreat away from anything.

[Denville]

But how can she? From what I can remember her behaviour was pretty weird and I doubt if people in charities would want to work with her

[Rayarena]

Originally Posted by Princess_Eleanor

Well, in my opinion it is clear that the PM does not wish for her involvement in Luxembourg to continue. Her role has been reduced to a couple charity appearances that she is "permitted" to make.

As a result of this, Maria Teresa has in my opinion completely "checked out" of the role of Grand Duchess. What she wears is what she apparently likes (and maybe always liked but she probably felt that she had to adapt to the role); the haircut, while the other one was more flattering, is probably also what she likes. And finally, Biarritz seems to be what she chooses as her place of residence now that she has chosen, well completely alone and without many constraints (though she probably still purposefully chose a place within Europe and one that allows her to travel to Luxembourg, Paris and Frankfurt easily - at least when there's not a pandemic.)

All of this is of course very strange, because MT does remain Grand Duchess in name and the circumstances demand that either she travels to Luxembourg to see Henri or he travels to Biarritz if they want to keep up their marriage (which it seems like they very much do). Alternatively, he could, of course, abdicate but I also think that he wants to give Guillaume and Stephanie a couple of years with young Charles... That seems to have been the initial plan at least, the current "scandal" or at least drop in popularity, might well change that...

What a shame that Maria Teresa who had such a promising start as Grand Duchess of Luxembourg has ended up this way. She gave Henri five lovely children including Guillaume who is scandal free and is so dedicated to his role as future Grand Duke, a young man who couldn't have chosen a better bride and mother of his heir if he had her made-to-order! Stephanie is quiet, modest, extremely educated and has one of the best pedigrees in Belgium and certainly the best of all recent royal brides and grooms most of who have been commoners. Felix, also, chose a good wife, although she is common, but she is, also, very educated, quite attractive and extremely wealthy. Most important, she has given Felix two lovely children. Louis is the only son tainted with scandal, but now seems to be on the right path. Alexandra and Sebastian have, also, been scandal free. Contrast them to the British Royal Family that have been racked with scandal after scandal. I think that's proof that Maria Teresa has raised her children well.

I think that Maria Teresa's life took a turn for the worst when Henri started having very public extra matrital affairs. I think that she became bitter and unhappy and as a result has been miserable to the people around her namely her staff. That's just my humble opinion and its sad, because if not for this scandal, she would have had an otherwise unblembished tenure as Grand Duchess if we don't count the imprudent press conference she gave denouncing her mother-in-law years ago.

[tommy100]

That I guess is the crux of it, the official report is critical of MT (and the general running of the Cour) but the truly most damning things have come out around it in the media- the allegations of physical abuse, that no one bar the PM would stand up to MT, the fallings out between MT and charity leaders etc. MT clearly feels no longer able to rise above them and carry on with a renewed focus and role so has fled to France when she was exposed as being a bully. I do wonder if she was always like that or if it is all down to what she has “endured”, certainly the Lux GDF seemed to have a much more private, almost idyllic existence before this scandal- a nice lifestyle, relative privacy, a secure throne. Maybe not so much now

[Rayarena]

Originally Posted by tommy100

That I guess is the crux of it, the official report is critical of MT (and the general running of the Cour) but the truly most damning things have come out around it in the media- the allegations of physical abuse, that no one bar the PM would stand up to MT, the fallings out between MT and charity leaders etc. MT clearly feels no longer able to rise above them and carry on with a renewed focus and role so has fled to France when she was exposed as being a bully. I do wonder if she was always like that or if it is all down to what she has “endured”, certainly the Lux GDF seemed to have a much more private, almost idyllic existence before this scandal- a nice lifestyle, relative privacy, a secure throne. Maybe not so much now

I don't think that Maria Teresa was always like that. I think that she was a lovely young lady when she first married Henri. Look at this photographs of M-T in her youth. You can see a face the emanates human warmth. People, however, change. Aside from Henri's marital indiscretions, Maria Teresa has had failing health including an alleged total hysterectomy, notable fluctuating weight gain and a glandular problem that is the probable cause of the weight gain as well as Henri's indiscretions. All of this can create an embittered person that lashes out at others.

[Alisa]

It's a terrible portrait in my opinion. The Grand Duke almost always looks better when he smiles. He looks....dead. Void of all emotions.
The Grand Duchess is of Luxembourg not Japan and in my opinion should not have been wearing a kimono. Her expressions too are very severe...given her reputation a warm smile would have been better.

Originally Posted by eya

A new portrait for the GD Henri and GD Maria Teresa by Artist Jacques Schneider for the 20 years Accession to the throne

The Grand Duke wears the so-called “Nassau” gala dress.

The Grand Duchess wears a kimono created by Anelore Prats and painted by calligrapher Nicolas Ouchenir.


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eos6UutX...jpg&name=large


https://www.instagram.com/p/CIh4IR2AyNd/

I just read about the news of their tone-deaf actions of being in France while Luxembourg is on lockdown.
It's the optics. Royals are supposed to be "suffering along with the people" especially during these time.

[Denville]

Originally Posted by tommy100

That I guess is the crux of it, the official report is critical of MT (and the general running of the Cour) but the truly most damning things have come out around it in the media- the allegations of physical abuse, that no one bar the PM would stand up to MT, the fallings out between MT and charity leaders etc. MT clearly feels no longer able to rise above them and carry on with a renewed focus and role so has fled to France when she was exposed as being a bully. I do wonder if she was always like that or if it is all down to what she has “endured”, certainly the Lux GDF seemed to have a much more private, almost idyllic existence before this scandal- a nice lifestyle, relative privacy, a secure throne. Maybe not so much now

I dont think that she's likely to be popular in Lux now.. surely? They may cover it up by her staying abroad for a bit, but essentially I doubt if anyone wnats to work with her in Lux and she has no real role. And I can't imagine that she wants to "rise above it"... She's not a young woman and why not accept tath she made bad mistakes, she has reached an age when a lot of people retire and she too should do so.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Controverses are not new for Maria Teresa. The relationship with Grand-Duchess Charlotte was icy, the relationship with her mother-in-law Grand-Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte was difficult and reportedly only improved in the last phase of her life. Maria Teresa has once been raging in public, has once made a scéne when she was blocked to leave the Grand-Duchy, was a difficult "boss" for the household staff (later confirmed by that infamous official report).

But the same Maria Teresa is a loving wife, a devoted mother, a doting grandmother. That is her primary duty. She married Henri de Nassau. There are no qualifications, work experience, whatever. for becoming a consort. It is not a job. Maria Teresa, Mette Marit, Máxima, Charléne, essentially the only reason that they are where they are now is because their partners once felt in love with them ("Whatever love means").

Consorts have no "duties". We can not say Maria Teresa (or Stéphanie) "must do this, must do that". The one consort hardly has any public engagement and the other consort has a full agenda. It is really up to each individual choice. We can see the differences in each Royal House.

If Maria Teresa, after decades in Luxembourg, now prefers to stay in Biarritz and joins the Grand-Duke for official events: on itself that is perfectly okay. Each couple makes their own choices in that. They are hardly the only royal couple with such arrangements.

[iceflower]

Grand Duke Henri received Koen Lenaerts, President of the Court of Justice, today, January 12:


** Pic **

[eya]

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, President of the Luxembourg Red Cross, thanks the blood donors and the @CroixRougeLu teams who continue to mobilize in such large numbers to ensure the continuity of blood donations.


https://twitter.com/i/status/1349408790286913539

[Marengo]

Now the question is, is the background a palace, the Biarritz appartement or a computer image?

[muriel]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Now the question is, is the background a palace, the Biarritz appartement or a computer image?

Very fair question, and I suspect the G-D has more or less decamped to Biarritz now.

[maria-olivia]

The Grand Duke is back alone to Luxembourg.

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Now the question is, is the background a palace, the Biarritz appartement or a computer image?

This is without a doubt the Biarritz apartment.

I guess you didn't really wonder

[eya]

Grand Duke Henri received in audience Mr. Klaus Regling, Director General of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) headquartered in Luxembourg since 2012.


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ErtQqGrW...pg&name=medium

[eya]

GD Henri received in audience Mr. Godefroid, President, and Mrs. Née, General Secretary of @Jugendrot , to discuss the growing concern of young people about the repercussions of the pandemic on their future.



https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EryVPNSW...jpg&name=large

[eya]

Grand-Duke Henri visited the Hall Victor Hugo vaccination center to find out about the logistics surrounding the vaccination campaign aimed at stemming the COVID-19 pandemic.


https://twitter.com/CourGrandDucale/...066630/photo/2

[eya]

Grand Duke Henri received in audience Ms. Bausch, President of the National Ethics Commission (CNE) to discuss the positions and opinions of the CNE aimed at responding to ethical problems and in particular those arising from a crisis unprecedented sanitary


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EsFtNfQX...jpg&name=large

[eya]

Today 20 January the Grand Duke Henri received in audience new Ambassadors for the delivery of their credentials.


https://t.co/qLI1fowkiO?amp=1

[eya]

Grand Duke Henri received in audience the new president @uel_lu Mr. Reckinger to learn about the country's economic situation and discuss the role of UEL in supporting businesses in an environment severely impacted by the health crisis


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EsQ9qd5X...jpg&name=large