A series of new portraits of Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg have been released in connection with an interview she did with ELLE Luxembourg ahead of the Abdication of Grand Duke Henri later this year.
Most notably, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa wore the Luxembourg Vine Leaves Tiara (the first time she hasn’t worn the Belgian Scroll Tiara since 2018) along with Queen Astrid’s Emerald Earrings.
Maria Teresa of Luxembourg: My truth about 25 years of reign
A smile plastered across official portraits scattered across the country, Her Royal Highness Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg nonetheless remains an enigma to many. Beyond the glossy image, her reign has not been a bed of roses. Meet a woman of heart who feels freer than ever.
“25 years old. Life teaches us to place less importance on certain things and more importance on being ourselves.” But this quest for authenticity is not without constraints. She emphasizes that, despite everything, a public role imposes a rigid framework on what is considered “acceptable.”
Yet it was neither the royal family nor the general public who caused him the most trouble in his early married years. “Conservatism came from those around us, from those who believed themselves to be the guardians of the institution and thought they knew everything better than the family.” This blunt observation speaks volumes about the pressure exerted by the wider circle of courtiers and observers of the time.
As for her bourgeois and foreign background, she claims to have never felt any rejection on this subject, neither from the Luxembourgers nor from her new family. “When I entered the royal family, I knew how to behave thanks to the impeccable education I had received. This is part of the reason why I was accepted into the family; I was seen as one of them.”
Yet, beyond this social ease, she claims a deeply rooted character trait within her: her Latin temperament. “My warm and expressive side is part of my deep nature, and I never wanted to separate myself from it.” She has always loved connecting with people, hugging them, and smiling at them. “It’s a privilege to be in a position to be able to bring happiness and consolation.”
Moving into public life was the heaviest price Maria Teresa paid for her love story. A change that occurred seamlessly from the moment she was engaged. “From the moment my name entered the media sphere, a part of me no longer belonged to me, there was no going back.” A lost freedom? “I’ll tell you the truth, I feel much freer today than I did at 25.”
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