Funeral of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Photo – Grand-Ducal Court / Claude Piscitelli

The funeral of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg took place on May 4, 2019, at the Cathedral Notre-Dame of Luxembourg in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. A military vehicle transported Grand Duke Jean’s coffin from the Grand Ducal Palace to the cathedral. The coffin was carried into the cathedral while soldiers and Boy Scouts formed an honor guard.

Photo – Guy Wolff / Luxemburger Wort

A Pontifical Mass of Thanksgiving was celebrated by Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg. Princess Marie-Astrid, Grand Duke Jean’s eldest daughter, gave the first reading in French. A second reading was given by Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg, Grand Duke Jean’s youngest son, in Luxembourgish. Grand Duke Jean’s grandchildren Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, Princess Marie-Gabrielle of Nassau, Princess Marie-Anunciata of Liechtenstein, Prince Paul-Louis of Nassau, and Archduchess Marie-Christine of Austria all participated in the reading of the universal prayer, speaking in French, Luxembourgish, or English. Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg used three languages delivering his sermon, praising Grand Duke Jean for his lifelong devotion, compassion, and love for his country, his family, and nature. The funeral ended with the playing of the Luxembourg national anthem “Ons Heemecht” (“Our Homeland”).

Five grandchildren of Grand Duke Jean delivered the universal prayer; Photo – Grand Ducal Court / Sophie Margue

During World War II, Grand Duke Jean joined the British Army as a volunteer in the Irish Guards. He completed his military education at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England, was commissioned as a second lieutenant and later was promoted to lieutenant. Jean landed near Bayeux, Normandy on June 11, 1944, five days after D-Day. He took part in the Battle for Caen and the liberation of Brussels. On September 10, 1944, he took part in the liberation of Luxembourg before participating in the invasion of Germany. In a very moving part of the funeral, members of the Irish Guards played the bagpipes as Grand Duke Jean’s coffin left the cathedral which moved his son Grand Duke Henri to tears.

Irish Guards playing the bagpipes; Photo – https://today.rtl.lu

The Irish Guards continued playing as Grand Duke Jean’s coffin was slowly carried to the forecourt in front of the cathedral. The coffin was then taken to the Ducal Crypt beneath the cathedral where Grand Duke Jean was laid to rest in the presence of close family members.

Grand Duke Jean’s coffin resting in the Ducal Crypt. Memorial plaques for family members are on the wall; Photo – www.cathol.lu

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Members of Grand Duke Jean’s family walk behind his coffin in the procession from the Grand Ducal Palace to the Cathedral Notre-Dame

Members of Grand Duke Jean’s family who attended his funeral:

Many members of current monarchies and former monarchies attended the funeral including representatives from all the other nine reigning European monarchies.  There was a large contingent from Belgium. King Albert II of Belgium was the brother-in-law of Grand Duke Jean as Jean had married his sister Joséphine Charlotte of Belgium. Philippe, King of the Belgians and his siblings Princess Astrid and Prince Laurent are first cousins of Grand Duke Jean’s son Grand Duke Henri and his other children.

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Members of the Belgian Royal Family arriving for the funeral

Grand Duke Jean’s sisters married into the Hohenberg, Henckel von Donnersmarck, Ligne, and Holstein-Ledreborg noble families and many representatives from those families attended the funeral. Grand Duke Jean had 51 first cousins from among several royal families such as the Bourbon-Parma, Habsburg (Austrian), Bavarian, and Bulgarian royal families and members of those families also attended his funeral. Besides members of royal families and other dignitaries, members of the public attended the funeral. Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa expressed their wish that the public should be able to attend the funeral. The number of available places was limited and were allocated in the order of registration of the interested persons.

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Queen Sofia and King Juan Carlos of Spain
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The Princess Royal and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
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Princess Sarvath and Prince Hassan of Jordan, brother of the late King Hussein

Please note that the list below contains all the royal guests from reigning houses but it does not contain all the royal guests from non-reigning houses and other former monarchies.

REIGNING HOUSES

Belgium

Denmark

Jordan

Liechtenstein

Monaco

Morocco

Netherlands

Norway

Spain

Sweden

United Kingdom

NON-REIGNING HOUSES

Albania

Bulgaria

Greece

Portugal

Romania

Yugoslavia

OTHER FORMER MONARCHIES

Austria

Bavaria

Bourbon-Parma

Bourbon and Two Sicilies

France – Bourbon

France – Orléans

Prussia

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