by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

Luxembourg National Day is celebrated every year on June 23. The official birthday of the reigning Grand Duke or Grand Duchess is also celebrated on that day.

Background

Before 1961, the date of Luxembourg National Day changed with each reign and was celebrated on the birthday of the reigning Grand Duke or Grand Duchess. When Grand Duchess Charlotte came to the throne in 1919, Luxembourg National Day was celebrated on her birthday, January 23, in the middle of winter. Her son and eventual heir Grand Duke Jean was also born in January. On December 23, 1961, by Grand Ducal decree, Grand Duchess Charlotte declared Luxembourg National Day would be permanently celebrated on June 23 when the weather would be more favorable. Celebrations begin on June 22 and continue through June 23.

What happens on Luxembourg National Day?

June 22

The reigning Grand Duke or reigning Grand Duchess and his/her spouse make an official visit to a town in Luxembourg. The Hereditary Grand Duke or Duchess and his/her spouse make an official visit to Esch-Uelzecht, Luxembourg’s second-largest city.

At the Grand Ducal Palace in Luxembourg City, the capital and largest city in Luxembourg, there is a ceremonial changing of the guard at 4:00 PM.

In the evening, national and local associations, brass bands, and folk groups parade through the streets of Luxembourg City in a torchlight procession.

At 11:00 PM, a large firework display set off from the Adolphe Bridge in Luxembourg City.

June 23

The celebrations begin with a civil ceremony at the Philharmonie Luxembourg, known officially as the Grande-Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte Concert Hall, in Luxembourg City. The reigning Grand Duke or the reigning Grand Duchess, the President of the Parliament, and the Prime Minister give speeches to an audience of government officials, foreign diplomats accredited to Luxembourg, and other dignitaries. The reigning Grand Duke or reigning Grand Duchess awards the Order of Civil and Military Merit of Adolphe of Nassau to individuals who have distinguished themselves by their loyalty and meritorious services to the Grand Duke, the Grand-Ducal House Maison, and the country.

After the ceremony at the Philharmonie Luxembourg, a 21-gun salute is fired in honor of the reigning Grand Duke or the reigning Grand Duchess.

At noon there is a military parade on Liberty Avenue. The Grand Duke, the Hereditary Grand Duke, and the Chief of Staff review the troops, who salute them in return with a resounding triple “Vive! Vive! Vive!” (Long Live! Long Live! Long Live!). Besides the Luxembourg Armed Forces, the Grand Ducal Police, the Customs and Excise Administration, the Prison Administration, the Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps, the Luxembourg Red Cross, and the Grand Duke Adolphe Union march participate in the parade.

In the afternoon, the Te Deum, a religious service of blessing and thanks, is held at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg.

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Works Cited

• Autoren der Wikimedia-Projekte. (2005, September 6). Lëtzebuerger Nationalfeierdag. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. https://lb.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%ABtzebuerger_Nationalfeierdag
• Luxemburgischer Nationalfeiertag. (2024). Wikipedia. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxemburgischer_Nationalfeiertag
• News | Cour grand-ducale. (n.d.). Monarchie.lu. Retrieved August 1, 2024, from https://monarchie.lu/en/news/categories/fete-nationale-37
• The National Day: Celebrations of the Grand Duke’s birthday | Cour grand-ducale. (n.d.). Www.monarchie.lu. https://monarchie.lu/en/head-state/national-day
• Wikipedia Contributors. (2020). Grand Duke’s Official Birthday. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Duke%27s_Official_Birthday