The protocol in the first raws is clear and logical. Monarchs, then former monarchs, then other representatives of reigning royal houses, then other former Heads of State, then the wife of a former Head of State (Queen of Greece), then members of reigning royal houses, others than the main representative. Then members of non reigning royal houses, beginning with Romania and Bulgaria, because of being the daugther and daugther in law of a former King. Then Heads of non reigning royal houses, beginning with Portugal, followed by Austria, Bavaria, Parma, Prussia and France and Albania. Those are the relevant positions. The ones in the next raws are simply “minor royals”. I would only discuss the position of the Prince Napoleon. He is the nonn disputed Head of a Royal House. Except if Luxembourg does not recognise the Imperial House of France.
I have spoken to several people who attended and that is not nonsense, but there was actually quite a lot of disorganisation - the court protocol staff were overwhelmed and so thought to put heads of house on the aisle, but Dom Duarte was placed nearer the front as was the duke of Parma, and the Romanians, but seated with Countess Mountbatten because she came with Princess Anne - the protocol people had no clue who she was, however. They also thought that Bourbon-Parma princes should be put further forward, even quite junior ones. But then Archduke Michael was put on the aisle and Archduke Simeon sent several rows back without even a seat among the royals. But there was a deliberate intention to give some precedence to heads of houses on the main aisle, and it was why Duke Franz, Luis Alfonso, Prince Napoleon and the Duke of Calabria (also a cousin through his grandmother) were placed where they were, The Duke of Calabria flew with King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia and stayed in the same hotel, not with the other guests - it was then widely noticed that at the dinner the evening before there was an attempt by one couple to have the protocol staff move the seating plan to upgrade their status which made further difficulties for the protocol staff, who were completely at sea over who was who outside the main royal families. The acceptances were only finalised 4 days before and then some people dropped out at the last minute for one reason or another (Queen Sylvie, Prince Charles de Bourbon-Parma, among others).
The aisle protocol theory is simply nonsense. Heads of the Royal Houses of Portugal, Romania, Prussia, Albania, Austria, France and Parma were not on the aisle. Actually the protocol relegated Louis to a worse place he would have occupied if considered Head of the House of France. The Count of Paris in the 5th raw, even if Louis is “Head of the House of France” since 1989 and Jean only recently.
Jaime, Duke of Noto, was at the end of row 9. The plan was for the first 3 rows to be reigning sovereigns, former reigning sovereigns, and members of reigning royal houses. Then heads of royal houses on the aisle - hence the Duke of Bavaria, Luis Alfonso (although deprived of his HRH), Prince Napoleon and the Duke of Calabria.
Yes it's the Duchess of Parma next to her husband. Jean d'Orleans is next to her.
The lady with the long grey hair and the man with the grey beard next to the Castro couple are Eric and Mathilde of Waldburg-Zeil. She is a born duchess of Wurttemberg.
Next to Luis-Alfonso is Charles-Henri Lobkowicz, he is a first cousin of the Duke of Parma and Jean was a first cousin to his mother.
Behind Luis-Alfonso are Jean-Christophe Napoleon and his fiancée.
In the next row we see Pedro duke of Calabria (and i think his son next to him).
Two rows down we see the prince of Beira and Infante Diniz of Portugal
Thank you, Marianne, for these first pictures
At www.wort.lu there are a couple more
(https://www.wort.lu/fr/luxembourg/les-funerailles-du-grand-duc-jean-en-images-5ccd3586da2cc1784e34365b?strytlpage=26)
The picture from the cathedral shows they are seated according to precedence.
In the first row, the reigning monarchs ranked after accession:
HM Queen Margrethe of Denmark
HM King Carl Gustaf of Sweden (no Queen Silvia apparently)
TM King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway
TM King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians
HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco
HRH Hereditary Princess Sophie and HSH Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein (on the front row as I think he is regent of the principality)
In the second row, representatives from other monarchies (and European neighbours):
TM King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain
HM Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
HRH The Princess Anne of the United Kingdom of GB and NI, Princess Royal
HRH Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco
HE Nicolas Sarkozy, former President of the French Republic
HE Joachim Gauck and Daniela Schadt, former President of the Federal Republic of Germany
At the end of this row: Queen Anne-Marie of the Hellenes.
Third row
TRH Prince Hassan and Princess Sarvath of Jordan
HRH Crown Princess Elisabeth of Belgium
TI&RH Archduchess Astrid and Archduke Lorenz of Austria, Princess and Prince of Belgium
HRH Prince Laurent of Belgium
TRH the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
(HRH Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece?)
(HRH Princess Badia of Jordan?)
Fourth row:
HH Princess Astrid of Norway
HRH Princess Lea of Belgium
three ladies I do not recognize
on the same row the Duke and Duchess of Braganca
Next to the Duchess of Braganza is Archduke Karl.
Fifth row:
Duke of Bavaria (I think)
Duke of Parma (Duchess next to him?)
Prince of Prussia
the rest of the row looks familiar but can;t place them.
Sixth row:
Luis Alfonso de Borbón
next to the other end, Duke & Dss of Castro
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