The Waringo Investigation into the Functioning of the Luxembourg Court 2019/2020

[An Ard Ri]

The article states that 30 employees (one third of the staff) have resigned over the alleged behaviour of Grand Duchess Maria Teresa,I wonder how true this is?

Earlier this week cancelled her officials engagements for the week.

https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/grand-duch...s-week-1674573

[Marengo]

I suppose the Waringo report will not be made public so it is likely we will not get to know much about its conclusions?

But if the GDss is not involved in hiring staff anymore due to recent changes that is indeed a big step for a government to make. One would assume the government wants to stay out of such things as much as possible normally, which can only mean that events forced them to intervene.

Not that the allegations themselves are overly surprising. Rumours about the GDss and her temper have been going around for years and years.

[Prisma]

Hmm... some info was already reported in August when Jeannot Waringo was appointed. GD Maria Teresa has been the only one getting any blame... and GD Henri coming across as terribly passive.

I'm not sure I believe Lëtzebuerger Land about abdication... that seems extreme. I cannot see GD Maria Teresa lowering her profile and retiring with an occasional public appearance. The HGD couple would probably prefer more family time instead of becoming the reigning couple.

Is there a defined role for the spouse of a Grand Duke/Duchess? Perhaps the Waringo report (if it ever becomes public) will also recommend/clarify what a consort can and cannot do.

[Duc_et_Pair]

There is no defined role for consorts. They just happen to be married to the head of state. There is also no defined role for spouses to presidents. The one is more activist (Brigitte Macron-Trogneux), the one is more glamorous (Carla Sarkozy-Bruni), the one is more traditional (Bernadette Chirac-Chodron de Courcel). We see the same variety with the more activist Máxima, the more traditional Mathilde, the more arty Sonja, etc.

[Tatiana Maria]

Originally Posted by Prisma

Is there a defined role for the spouse of a Grand Duke/Duchess? Perhaps the Waringo report (if it ever becomes public) will also recommend/clarify what a consort can and cannot do.

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

There is no defined role for consorts. They just happen to be married to the head of state. There is also no defined role for spouses to presidents. The one is more activist (Brigitte Macron-Trogneux), the one is more glamorous (Carla Sarkozy-Bruni), the one is more traditional (Bernadette Chirac-Chodron de Courcel). We see the same variety with the more activist Máxima, the more traditional Mathilde, the more arty Sonja, etc.

But there are in fact defined limits to what any constitutional monarch can do. It would only seem natural for there to be defined limits on what their consorts can do; otherwise, the consort's authority could be less circumscribed than that of the head of state.

[Duc_et_Pair]

It is nonsense to point to the Grand-Duchess only. It is the Grand-Duke whom organizes his House. It is the Grand-Duke (under ministerial responsibility) holding the budget assigned to the grand-ducal household organisation and it is the Grand-Duke signing appointments and dismissals, as long as it is about staff not having the status of a civil servant. In that last case, even the Grand-Duke has no authority to dismiss, as then not he but the State is the employer.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

But there are in fact defined limits to what any constitutional monarch can do. It would only seem natural for there to be defined limits on what their consorts can do; otherwise, the consort's authority could be less circumscribed than that of the head of state.

The consort's authority is pretty clear: zero.

Let me quote Queen Juliana's father, His Royal Highness Prince Heinrich of the Netherlands, Duke of Mecklenburg, Fürst of Wenden, Schwerin, Ratzeburg, Count of Schwerin, Lord of the lands Rostock and Stargard: "Ich bin nur das Gepäck" (I am just the luggage).

[lucien]

Originally Posted by JR76

I'm with Maria Olivia. From what I've heard the Grand Duchess is the one calling the shots in that family.

I´m with Maria Olivia.The [Grand Duchess] suffers of mental & emotional diarrhea.Having a temper is one thing,but the out of controle emotional outbursts are of a different league.I recall the late Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte having a `difficult time`with MT for years. Perhaps JC sensed what MT was really about. She has to be curtailed to a non public role for the foreseeable future as she is an absolute nuisance to the staff, pretentious [woman] who now shows her true colours.The woman is a burden to her next of kin,specifically Henri,and the staff.

[Denville]

Gosh that's nice. I thought that the Lux RF were very popular and the public were very fond of them...

[Minister of Court]

Originally Posted by lucien

I´m with Maria Olivia.The [Grand Duchess] suffers of mental & emotional diarrhea.Having a temper is one thing, but the out of controle emotional outbursts are of a different league.I recall the late Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte having a `difficult time`with MT for years. Perhaps JC sensed what MT was really about. She has to be curtailed to a non public role for the foreseeable future as she is an absolute nuisance to the staff, pretentious [woman] who now shows her true colours.The woman is a burden to her next of kin,specifically Henri,and the staff.

Quite so. Josephine-Charlotte saw this coming.

[An Ard Ri]

There have been many rumours about the temperament of the Grand Duchess over the years and also that she is the boss!

[Blog Real]

We don't really know what is going on, except for the rumors that circulate in the press and social networks.
I hope this does not damage the image of the Luxembourg monarchy, as it has always been a highly respected institution.
I hope that everything will be resolved quickly and fairly for all parties.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by Denville

Gosh that's nice. I thought that the Lux RF were very popular and the public were very fond of them...

Heu... There was quite a public uproar when the grand-ducal family wanted to sell parts of Grand-Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte's heritage. There was quite a public uproar when the Grand-Duke refused to give his assent to a democratically approved Bill. This even led to taking away constitutional prerogatives from the Grand-Duke. The Government and Parliament unanimously (!!!) decided to strip the Grand-Duke's executive power to grant royal assent to Bills, by doing so making these Acts. With this he lost the prerogative which was held and maintained by all (Orange-)Nassau Grand-Dukes. It is not exactly that the Letzebuergers faint when they see the grand-ducal family but they realize having a Grand-Duke publicly raises their country somewhat above other small states.

[Blog Real]

RTL also talks about the hypothesis that the Grand Duke Henri abdicates
https://www.rtl.lu/news/national/a/1457610.html

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by Blog Real

RTL also talks about the hypothesis that the Grand Duke Henri abdicates
https://www.rtl.lu/news/national/a/1457610.html

What do they know about the contents of the report? It would be an extremely severe measure and put a huge burden on Guillaume and Stephanie.

N.B. Not sure why this discussion is in this thread.

[An Ard Ri]

Would the alleged bad temper and divaesque behavior of the Grand Duchess really warrant Grand Duke Henri to abdicate or is there something more sinister involved?

[Booing]

Yes, if the Grand Duke is unwilling or unable to change what the government requests. He may not see anything wrong. As long as her children are on the throne she will likely continue to have some leader strings on them.

[Booing]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

There have been many rumours about the temperament of the Grand Duchess over the years and also that she is the boss!

Didn’t the Grand a Duke have a serious heart episode in recent years? I wonder if she has been more prominently in control since?

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by Booing

Didn’t the Grand a Duke have a serious heart episode in recent years? I wonder if she has been more prominently in control since?

Not a serious heart problem I thought. He was dottered (angioplasty) once. There were rumours with the heart involved: according some rumours the Grand-Duchess apparently thought there was something romantic between Henri and Mme Lydia Polfer, now Mayor of the capital. It was too ridiculous for words but apparently the Grand-Duchess jumped on it. Sone say the runour was spread by Grand-Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte via the publicist Stéphane Bern, but that seems most unlikely to me and probably a démarche to paint JC down as the Ice Queen vs Sancta Maria Teresa.

[Prisma]

Grand Duke Henri had an angioplasty in February 2011.

Luxarazzi: Grand Duke back home

I can't recall other health issues. He seems fine and was especially active last year when the HGD couple lived in London and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa was primarily focused on her "Stand Speak Rise Up!" initiative and then she was limited by knee surgery.

Grand Duke Henri was everywhere for a while although maybe that was deliberate in retrospect. I doubt Jeannot Waringo's appointment suddenly dropped on the Cour in August. Probably discussions / a cursory review happened before his appointment.