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

[victor1319]

Is the beginning of the end? If a monarch can't even appoint his own court, can he be effective in his role at all?

If I remember it right, then - since this Euthanasia-affair, in which the Grand Duke did not sign the law about the very thematic - Luxembourg is de facto a republic!

The role of the Grand Ducal house is probably more like Good Will Ambassadors for their state. The Grand Duke has only the power to read the new laws to the public - promulgating the law...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_Luxembourg#Constitutional_role

So, can the Ducal House be effective as Good Will Ambassadors and "boom boxes" of the government? Even, if they can't appoint their own ducal court? Sure in my humble opinion, why not?

But the constitution of Luxembourg has been changing... and might change again. And Luxembourg is still a Grand Duchy by name... better times for the Grand Ducal house may lie ahead...

 

[Blog Real]

If I remember it right, then - since this Euthanasia-affair, in which the Grand Duke did not sign the law about the very thematic - Luxembourg is de facto a republic!

The role of the Grand Ducal house is probably more like Good Will Ambassadors for their state. The Grand Duke has only the power to read the new laws to the public - promulgating the law...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_Luxembourg#Constitutional_role

So, can the Ducal House be effective as Good Will Ambassadors and "boom boxes" of the government? Even, if they can't appoint their own ducal court? Sure in my humble opinion, why not?

But the constitution of Luxembourg has been changing... and might change again. And Luxembourg is still a Grand Duchy by name... better times for the Grand Ducal house may lie ahead...

Luxembourg is a constitutional monarchy, of course.
There's still a big difference between a monarchy and a republic!
The Grand Duke can name his ducal court, just have to have the approval of the government in the choices he makes.

 

[Eskimo]

Is the beginning of the end? If a monarch can't even appoint his own court, can he be effective in his role at all?

It has to be for Henri. Unless he is willing to get a divorce. MT is a big problem and needs to be dealt with swiftly. She has been outed as a bully and in this day and age, I don't think the family or government can afford to ignore the problem. Either divorce and exile or Henri abdicates and they both leave Luxembourg.

 

[Blog Real]

Henri and Maria Teresa will hardly divorce. Furthermore, I think the matter is settled between the Grand Ducal Court and the Government.
I believe Grand Duke Henri will abdicate in a few years, five or ten years from now. But until then, this is going to be a taboo and little-talked about subject.
Nevertheless the monarchy is safe. Guillaume will have to have a different attitude when it comes time to take the throne.

 

[Eskimo]

Henri and Maria Teresa will hardly divorce. Furthermore, I think the matter is settled between the Grand Ducal Court and the Government.
I believe Grand Duke Henri will abdicate in a few years, five or ten years from now. But until then, this is going to be a taboo and little-talked about subject.
Nevertheless the monarchy is safe. Guillaume will have to have a different attitude when it comes time to take the throne.

Unfortunately this is true; however it seems that the Grand Duchess has learnt nothing from this so problems will continue

 

[Blog Real]

Unfortunately this is true; however it seems that the Grand Duchess has learnt nothing from this so problems will continue

Don't forget that the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess are very Catholic, so I doubt they can get a chance to divorce.
The Grand Duchess can no longer cause any more trouble in court because she no longer has those powers. Now it's the Grand Duke and the Marshal of the Court who take all the decisions.
I believe the Grand Duchess now have a more discreet attitude to protect the monarchy and for the good of her family.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

If her recent interview and photo spread in Paris Match are any indication you could not be more wrong.

Maria Teresa intends to play the PR game with renewed vigor, even if she has been shut down from making management decisions at the Court. And she seems to be playing to a wider audience outside the Grand Duchy now.

Henri remains as passive as ever.

What a shambles has been made at the Luxembourg GD Court. If Guillaume and Stephanie ever make it to the Throne, they will have their work cut out for them.

 

[Somebody]

I'm afraid so and her family participates... Of course, it's nice to see her grandchildren but it would have been nicer if that wasn't 'in the honor and glory' of MT.

I was also surprised by the number of pictures of the grandparents looking at the screen with Guillaume showing prince Charles; there were more pictures of them (9!) released than of their new grandson on the screen (3 - although one was mostly the backs of his grandparents)...

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Is the beginning of the end? If a monarch can't even appoint his own court, can he be effective in his role at all?

Since the Government funds the monarchy, it is natural that the Grand-Duke needs to be backed. Luxembourg is not unique. In my country 95% of the Royal House Organization are civil servants, with the same salaries, conditions, emoluments and pensions as their colleagues on ministerial departments, in state agencies, etc. Only 5% is really privately employed by the King, think of a nanny, a beautician, a financial advisor, a private councillor, a private secretary, that sort of people working for the private interests of the royal family. It is more or less the same in Luxembourg (which basically started as a spin-off of the Dutch Court).

 

[muriel]

If I remember it right, then - since this Euthanasia-affair, in which the Grand Duke did not sign the law about the very thematic - Luxembourg is de facto a republic!

The role of the Grand Ducal house is probably more like Good Will Ambassadors for their state. The Grand Duke has only the power to read the new laws to the public - promulgating the law...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_Luxembourg#Constitutional_role

So, can the Ducal House be effective as Good Will Ambassadors and "boom boxes" of the government? Even, if they can't appoint their own ducal court? Sure in my humble opinion, why not?

But the constitution of Luxembourg has been changing... and might change again. And Luxembourg is still a Grand Duchy by name... better times for the Grand Ducal house may lie ahead...

Luxembourg is a constitutional monarchy, of course.
There's still a big difference between a monarchy and a republic!
The Grand Duke can name his ducal court, just have to have the approval of the government in the choices he makes.

Just to be clear, I was not suggesting that the monarchy may come to an end, just that Henri's time as GD may be limited from hereonin.

 

[theroyalfly]

Henri remains as passive as ever. If Guillaume and Stephanie ever make it to the Throne, they will have their work cut out for them.

I also believe they won't divorce but I hope the Grand Duke will do something about MT. But all this time he remains passive just like you said. How is Stephanie's relationship with MT though?

Since the Government funds the monarchy, it is natural that the Grand-Duke needs to be backed.

I strongly agree with you too. I'm curious, aside from Luxembourg and the Dutch RF, are there other RF's sharing the same fate too?

 

[maria-olivia]

The Grand Duchess is giving interviews to french newspapers...
She never attend her husband outside the palace .during this difficult times..
She gave on TV a message in french for the Red Cross of L.

The Grand Duke is a weak man but he seems to love his wife..

I lived in Luxembourg and friends of mine said that She did real personnal damages.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I also believe they won't divorce but I hope the Grand Duke will do something about MT. But all this time he remains passive just like you said. How is Stephanie's relationship with MT though?



I strongly agree with you too. I'm curious, aside from Luxembourg and the Dutch RF, are there other RF's sharing the same fate too?

All modern monarchies. Even the monégasque Maison Princier gets an annual Budget of 30 million Euro, funded by the State of Monaco, for which it is accountable to State Audits, with reports to Government and Parliament.

In contrary to what lots of people think, Monaco is no tax free haven. Yes, there is no personal income tax but the annual income of the tiny State mainly comes from VAT, taxes on profits on real estate (33,3% tax!), 1% of all rents paid in the principality, customs and corporation taxes.

As this is public money, like the taxpayers' money spend on Police, health care, education, even Prince Albert is accountable to State Auditors for the expenses of public funds.

So also in Monaco, there is no difference with Luxembourg (or Spain, or Sweden, or other modern monarchies).

 

[theroyalfly]

The Grand Duchess is giving interviews to french newspapers...
She never attend her husband outside the palace .during this difficult times..
She gave on TV a message in french for the Red Cross of L.

The Grand Duke is a weak man but he seems to love his wife..

I lived in Luxembourg and friends of mine said that She did real personnal damages.

I didn't know about this Maria-Oliva. I know this sounds one-sided but I live thinking that JC was incomparable. Lol. I remember reading something online and JC was described as 'unapologetically racist and elitist late mother-in-law.'

All modern monarchies. Even the monégasque Maison Princier gets an annual Budget of 30 million Euro, funded by the State of Monaco, for which it is accountable to State Audits, with reports to Government and Parliament. So also in Monaco, there is no difference with Luxembourg (or Spain, or Sweden, or other modern monarchies).

Thank you Duc_et_Pair! Very well-explained. So contrary to what others might think, this isn't a punishment to the Luxembourgish RF nor stripping them off of the privilege of appointing their own ducal court.

 

[Blog Real]

Duc et Pair exactly that's how monarchies work.

As for the matter of the Grand Duchess I think she has a lot of influence on the Grand Duke, this is obvious, but it will hardly cause more damage than it has ever caused.
I'm also curious what the Grand Duchess's relationship with Stephanie and Claire is like.

 

[An Ard Ri]

The longer this goes on the Maria Teresa's public image will be in tatters and real damage will have been done.

 

[Stefan]

Probably the problem is that the Grand Dchess doen not see her wrongdoing

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

All by all it is a storm in a cup of tea. Reorganizations are under way in the grand-ducal household. There will be a professional HRM department and the accountancy and the audit of processes will be modernized. It was long overdue. I think every organization experiences such a setback every two or three decades and then a reset is needed to get all processes and work flows in one line again.

 

[Eskimo]

It seems that the late GD JC was right about MT. Of course, JC took a "racist" view of MT but outside of the issue of race, it seems she had a good point

 

[tommy100]

I don't know many monarchies, even constitutional ones, where the sovereign needs actual approval over hiring and firing personnel. Can you imagine the British PM telling HM QE2 she can't appoint someone to be her Private Secretary or telling her the Household can't dismiss someone and must find a role for them?

Of course if HM said she wanted to appoint some crazed satanic, devil worshiping, person as her Private Secretary or Master of the Household or Lord Chamberlain the Government and PM would raise questions about the merit in it, possibly even in the media but normal, day to day hirings and firings...I think not. Likewise in Netherlands, Denmark, Norway etc. It is clear IMO the Lux government doesn't trust that the Grand Ducal couple (probably more MT but knowing Henri can't refuse her) have the right attitude to hiring and firing staff. That is a big deal IMO.

I was quite shocked by MTs use of her grandson's birth to promote herself - first the pictures of her looking at his picture then the pictures of her with him and Gui and Steph and then her grandchildren. PR is going in overdrive, and it seems the Gov have put a stop to her being able to charge the taxpayers for that service.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Eskimo, how do we know JC took a racist view of MT? We only have MT's allegations.

Did JC have a verified history of making racial slurs in public or private?

It's now been two decades since her death. Not one negative story or anecdote from her servants, acquaintances etc. I find that very revealing.

Incidentally, around the time of Guillaume's wedding I was a member of a private message board dedicated to the GD family. Someone who claimed to be an acquaintance of a maid at Berg posted that the servants threw celebratory gatherings whenever MT left for Paris. She was both loathed and feared.

I didn't repeat that information here or anywhere else for two main reasons:

1) I would have been kicked off the Lux private board for repeating it...it was a very strictly enforced rule not to repeat anything on other sites.

2) I was a dedicated Maria Teresa fangirl and did not want to believe it. MT was so disliked by her staff that they celebrated when she was away?!

So...I was not as shocked by the Waringo report as other posters were. But I was very disappointed to say the least.

 

[muriel]

Eskimo, how do we know JC took a racist view of MT? We only have MT's allegations.

Did JC have a verified history of making racial slurs in public or private?

It's now been two decades since her death. Not one negative story or anecdote from her servants, acquaintances etc. I find that very revealing.

Incidentally, around the time of Guillaume's wedding I was a member of a private message board dedicated to the GD family. Someone who claimed to be an acquaintance of a maid at Berg posted that the servants threw celebratory gatherings whenever MT left for Paris. She was both loathed and feared.

I didn't repeat that information here or anywhere else for two main reasons:

1) I would have been kicked off the Lux private board for repeating it...it was a very strictly enforced rule not to repeat anything on other sites.

2) I was a dedicated Maria Teresa fangirl and did not want to believe it. MT was so disliked by her staff that they celebrated when she was away?!

So...I was not as shocked by the Waringo report as other posters were. But I was very disappointed to say the least.

Very revealing, thank you for sharing this information.

 

[muriel]

I don't know many monarchies, even constitutional ones, where the sovereign needs actual approval over hiring and firing personnel. Can you imagine the British PM telling HM QE2 she can't appoint someone to be her Private Secretary or telling her the Household can't dismiss someone and must find a role for them?

Well said @tommy100, this was exactly the point I was making yesterday. You know you are on a sticky wicket if a monarch does not even have the authority to appoint key members of his or her team.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I don't know many monarchies, even constitutional ones, where the sovereign needs actual approval over hiring and firing personnel. Can you imagine the British PM telling HM QE2 she can't appoint someone to be her Private Secretary or telling her the Household can't dismiss someone and must find a role for them?

Of course if HM said she wanted to appoint some crazed satanic, devil worshiping, person as her Private Secretary or Master of the Household or Lord Chamberlain the Government and PM would raise questions about the merit in it, possibly even in the media but normal, day to day hirings and firings...I think not. Likewise in Netherlands, Denmark, Norway etc. It is clear IMO the Lux government doesn't trust that the Grand Ducal couple (probably more MT but knowing Henri can't refuse her) have the right attitude to hiring and firing staff. That is a big deal IMO.

I was quite shocked by MTs use of her grandson's birth to promote herself - first the pictures of her looking at his picture then the pictures of her with him and Gui and Steph and then her grandchildren. PR is going in overdrive, and it seems the Gov have put a stop to her being able to charge the taxpayers for that service.

Already under Queen Victoria the Queen has to take public account in consideration. Already in 1839 Queen Victoria had to dismiss ladies of her Household on the request of the Prime Minister, which she first refused (leading to a crisis). Influenced by the wise counsel of her more democratically minded consort, later Queen Victoria accepted that her Household was not a private matter and indeed subject to public account.

This does not mean that Grand-Duke Henri, King Felipe, Queen Elizabeth can not hire staff to their own liking. But as the monarchy is a public institution funded by public money, it is subject to public scrutiny. This means that when a Grand-Duchess fights her little personal vendetta with - essentially- public civil servants, she will loose it when subjected servants go whistleblowing indeed.

 

[Blog Real]

Already under Queen Victoria the Queen has to take public account in consideration. Already in 1839 Queen Victoria had to dismiss ladies of her Household on the request of the Prime Minister, which she first refused (leading to a crisis). Influenced by the wise counsel of her more democratically minded consort, later Queen Victoria accepted that her Household was not a private matter and indeed subject to public account.

This does not mean that Grand-Duke Henri, King Felipe, Queen Elizabeth can not hire staff to their own liking. But as the monarchy is a public institution funded by public money, it is subject to public scrutiny. This means that when a Grand-Duchess fights her little personal vendetta with - essentially- public civil servants, she will loose it when subjected servants go whistleblowing indeed.

That's true, it even led to a crisis, I saw it recently in a documentary about Queen Victoria.
What is happening in the Grand Ducal House is not unheard of in a monarchy. But it's just a necessary decision because of what happened. But that decision could be reversed in a few years, perhaps when Guillaume accedes to the throne.

 

[tommy100]

Sorry but Queen Victoria should not be a model for now. Again, I don't think any modern constitutional monarchy is now limited as to who it can hire and fire, with all such matters having to go through the Government. Even where such rules may be in place it would be as very much "rubber stamping' whatever the Royal court wants. Clearly the Government are clipping the wings of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, likely because it is having to pick up the bill for so many redundancy packages for what could be seen as unfair,unlawful, unjust dismissals of staff.

Imagine the fuss if King Willem Alexander announced his most senior aide was leaving, only for the Dutch government to say "oh no he isn't, we haven't signed that off so he must stay and you must find a role for him"

If nothing else is shows there is poor communication or understanding between the Cour and government.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Sorry but Queen Victoria should not be a model for now. Again, I don't think any modern constitutional monarchy is now limited as to who it can hire and fire, with all such matters having to go through the Government. Even where such rules may be in place it would be as very much "rubber stamping' whatever the Royal court wants. Clearly the Government are clipping the wings of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, likely because it is having to pick up the bill for so many redundancy packages for what could be seen as unfair,unlawful, unjust dismissals of staff.

Imagine the fuss if King Willem Alexander announced his most senior aide was leaving, only for the Dutch government to say "oh no he isn't, we haven't signed that off so he must stay and you must find a role for him"

If nothing else is shows there is poor communication or understanding between the Cour and government.

Art 41 of the Constitution of the Netherlands is clear: The King organizes his House. But with the modernization of the Constitution in 1983 was added taking due account of public interest.

This means the King has the constitutional right to organize his House. But, like any ministerial department and agency, also the Royal House has to follow a Budget, is comptrolled for the implementation of legal norms and standards. The position of a clerk on the Cabinet of The King is the same as that of a clerk at the Trade Department. Both have a contract with the State, the difference is that one is detached to the Royal House and the other is detached to a ministerial Department.

And this is 100% right. As long as Grand-Duke Henri, King Willem-Alexander or King Carl XVI Gustaf do not pay them out of their own private purse, they are not "owning" the staff and their Households are accountable for the use or misuse of public funds, public servants, public infrastructure and public services.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Sorry but Queen Victoria should not be a model for now. Again, I don't think any modern constitutional monarchy is now limited as to who it can hire and fire, with all such matters having to go through the Government.

Is the Government not responsible for hiring and firing the staff of the Imperial Household Agency in Japan, which is the most modern constitutional monarchy in the world? The Government fired the head of the Agency in 2016 due to his support of the Emperor's wish to abdicate, which was against Government policy.

 

[Nice Nofret]

Well the Japanese Modell seems to be the other extreme. The Emperor and his family seem to be more slaves to the system than to have any say at all about their lives.

 

[victor1319]

And this is 100% right. As long as Grand-Duke Henri, King Willem-Alexander or King Carl XVI Gustaf do not pay them out of their own private purse, they are not "owning" the staff and their Households are accountable for the use or misuse of public funds, public servants, public infrastructure and public services.

This reminds me of this "Marie Antoinette" film. But back then it was not about whos purse pays for what, but about privilege!

And I am afraid this interference with the private matters of the Royal Houses ist a leftover from this times - It seems rude and unpolite... and "ridiculous" ->