King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium will host Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Theresa of Luxembourg on their State Visit to Belgium next week! King Philippe and Grand Duke Henri are first cousins but the Belgian Royal Family and Luxembourg Grand Ducal Family have had over a century of close Family Relations, which will be renewed on next week’s State Visit!
While Belgium and Luxembourg used to have the same Sovereign until 1830, recent close family relations come from Queen Elisabeth of Belgium and Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg, who were both first cousins though their mothers, with the Grand Duchess attending the Wedding of Crown Prince Leopold of Belgium and Princess Astrid of Sweden in 1926.
The relationship between the two Royal Families were further cemented when Princess Charlotte of Belgium married Hereditary Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg in 1953, a match arranged by both Queen Elisabeth of Belgium and Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg.
In 1959, Grand Duchess Charlotte hosted King Baudouin of Belgium on his State Visit to Luxembourg, with a Banquet hosted by Grand Duchess Charlotte (wearing her Diamond Floral Tiara) and Prince Félix, along with Hereditary Grand Duke Jean and Hereditary Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte (in the Belgian Scroll Tiara and Aquamarine Parure).
The following year, Hereditary Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte (wearing the Belgian Scroll Tiara) led the Grand Ducal Family, including Grand Duchess Charlotte (in the Luxembourg Empire Tiara), at the Wedding of King Baudouin of Belgium, which included a Wedding Ball at the Royal Palace of Brussles.
In 1967, King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola (wearing the Nine Provinces Tiara and Spanish Wedding Gift Tiara) hosted the then reigning Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte (in the Belgian Scroll Tiara and Emerald Peacock Tiara) on their State Visit to Belgium, with numerous Banquets held.
Several years later, King Albert II, younger brother of the Grand Duchess, and Queen Paola were hosted by Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte on their State Visit to Luxembourg in 1994, with a magnificent Banquet hosted by the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess (wearing the Luxembourg Empire Tiara) in honour of the King and Queen (in the Nine Provinces Tiara).
A few years later, King Albert II and Queen Paola (in the Nine Provinces Tiara) in turn hosted the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess (wearing the Belgian Scroll Tiara) on their State Visit to Belgium in 1999, which included Queen Fabiola, Crown Prince Philippe, Princess Astrid (in the Savoy-Aosta Tiara) and Archduke Lozenz, and Princess Margretha (in the Citrine Tiara) at the State Banquet.
Later that year, the Grand Ducal Family attended the Wedding of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium.
In 2007, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Theresa of Luxembourg (wearing the Luxembourg Empire Tiara) were hosted by his uncle and aunt, King Albert and Queen Paola (in the Nine Provinces Tiara), with other members of the family in attendance including Queen Fabiola, Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein and Princess Margaretha of Luxembourg (in the Sapphire Bracelet Tiara), Crown Prince Philippe and Crown Princess Mathilde (wearing the Laurel Wreath Tiara), The Archduke of Austria-Este and Princess Astrid (in the Savoy-Aosta Tiara).
The extended Belgian Royal Family attended the Wedding of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg and Countess Stephanie de Lannoy in 2012.
The most recent State Visit between the two families was when King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium (in the Nine Provinces Tiara) made State Visit to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in 2019, being hosted by their cousins, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Theresa (wearing the Belgian Scroll Tiara), along with Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie (in the Citrine Tiara).
Nine Provinces Tiara
Laurel Wreath Tiara
Wolfers Necklace Tiara
Queen Elisabeth’s Diamond Bandeau
Diamond Fringe Earrings
Wedding Earrings
Diamond Scroll Earrings
Tunisian Parure
Aquamarine Earrings
Diamond Earrings
Diamond Waterfall Brooch
Diamond Butterfly Brooch
Diamond Floral Bracelet
