Royal Abdication

From UPI/Yahoo:

“Grand duke of Luxembourg abdicates after 24 years on throne in Christmas Eve speech”

The grand duke of Luxembourg renounced the throne in a surprise abdication on Christmas Eve, according to multiple reports. "It has been a quarter of a century of challenges, opportunities and hopes for a better future: of technological and economic progress, of social change, but also of many conflicts," Grand Duke Henri, 69, said Tuesday during his Christmas Eve speech. He's been on the throne for 24 years, since 2000.

Henri will step-down in favor his son, Prince Guillaume, 43, on Oct. 3, 2025. "All were moments that made us reflect and brought us closer together as a nation," said the outgoing grand duke.

Guillaume married Princess Stephanie de Lannoy, a Belgian countess set to be the new grand duchess, in October 2012. The royal couple have two sons one of whom likely will take the throne one day. Henri follows in the footsteps of his late father, Grand Duke Jean, who likewise abdicated his seat on the throne after 36 years during a Christmas Eve speech in 1999. "When I look back today, after almost 25 years, I do so with deep gratitude and humility," Henri said. "It has been a period during which Luxembourg has made much progress, and I am pleased to have been able to be part of that journey with you" and his wife, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa. This appears to have been in the works for some time after it was announced in June that Guillaume will take over his father's governing duties.

Under Luxembourg's constitutional monarchy the grand duke or duchess has a largely ceremonial role. However, the head of state must sign bills before they can become law and has the power to dissolve parliament. This follows a flurry of other abdications in recent years by crowned heads of Europe like Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands in a newer trend to make way for younger royals, most recently by Denmark's Queen Margrethe II who revealed her renunciation of the throne last year in December. This followed the 2022 death of Queen Elizabeth II, who was the longest-reigning sovereign in British history at 70 years.

In October, Guillaume was appointed Lieutenant-Representative for Henri at a ceremony at the Grand Ducal Palace in Luxembourg City.

^ I’m into sure why all the Non-British Royals love to abdicate. ^

https://www.yahoo.com/news/grand-duke-luxembourg-abdicates-24-162400897.html