Controversial Paris Match interview by Grand Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg
Posted by CatherineNY on 25/2/2021, 14:39:56
Edited by CatherineNY on 25/2/2021, 14:40:56
Earlier this month, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa gave an interview to Paris Match to mark the 40th anniversary of their marriage. They took the opportunity to complain about the changes made in the Luxembourg Court as a result of last year's Waringo Report. The official who was put in charge of enacting the reforms recommended by Waringo has now said that the Paris Match interview was not authorized by the Luxembourg government. Here is the Paris Match report (in French): https://www.parismatch.com/Royal-Blog/famille-royale-Luxembourg/Exclusif-le-grand-duc-Henri-de-Luxembourg-se-confie-dans-Match-1723253. Here is an English-language summary of the article and the political backdrop against which the interview took place: https://delano.lu/d/detail/news/grand-duchess-alleges-misogyny-role-palace-pruned/213441. Here is an article indicating that the interview was unauthorized, and that the Prime Minister recently briefed Luxembourg lawmakers in a closed-door session about the state of reform at the Court: https://www.luxtimes.lu/en/luxembourg/grand-duke-paris-match-interview-was-unauthorised-6033ce3cde135b9236b126a3. The bottom line appears to be that the Luxembourg government wants the Grand Duchess to play a purely ceremonial role, but that she, with the support of her husband, wants to continue to play an active role.