From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Luxembourg is a constitutional monarchy whose Head of State is the Grand Duke of Luxembourg (or Grand Duchess of Luxembourg in the exceptional but twice occured event of the sovereign being female). The Grand Duke's eldest son is the Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Since 1964, the Grand Duchy is inherited within the House of Bourbon-Parma.
The Grand Duke and other members of the Grand Ducal Family are styled Royal Highnesses. They are also Princes and Princesses of Nassau and Bourbon-Parma.
Present monarch: HRH Grand Duke Henri (since October 7, 2000), born 1955
At the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the Duchy of Luxembourg was raised to the rank of a grand duchy and was ceded to the new King of the Netherlands, thus also becoming the first Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Luxembourg stayed in this personal union until 1890, when different rules of succession parted the titles from each other. Specifically, the daughter of William III became Queen of the Netherlands, while a woman was not allowed to succeed to the throne of Luxembourg, giving way to a more distant relative.
However, in 1907, Grand Duke William IV, having no sons, allowed for his eldest daughter to succeed him. The Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde had great impact on Luxembourgish politics, until she was forced to abdicate in 1919. Since then, the Grand Dukes have kept to fulfilling representative duties.
The line of succession
History
Grand Dukes of Luxembourg
The House of Orange-Nassau
The House of Nassau-Weilburg
The House of Bourbon-Parma
External links
