Grand Ducal Garden Party at Château de Berg, 29 June 2023;
Credit: Chronicle.lu
On Wednesday 17 July 2024, the Marshal of the Court shared a message from Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, about plans to build an annex on the grounds of the castle in Colmar-Bierg.
Château de Berg is the principal residence of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, a role into which Prince Guillaume may be stepping in the not so distant future. First, in October 2024, the Hereditary Grand Duke will be designated Lieutenant-Representative (Lieutenant-Représentant) of the Grand Duke.
In the statement released on Wednesday, Prince Guillaume noted that "as parents and as a future head of state", he and his wife, Princess Stéphanie, "face the challenge of balancing our commitment to the nation and our family life with our children". To ensure their sons, Prince Charles and Prince François, grow up in an environment that is beneficial for their development "but also for helping them approach their future tasks responsibly", the Hereditary Grand Ducal couple are opting for a "more contemporary and family-friendly" lifestyle. "We want our children to grow up in an intimate family environment," the statement added.
The couple thus announced their plans to build an annex on the grounds of Château de Berg, in agreement with both the Grand Duke and the government. "This dependency will be reserved for our family life and will be financed with our own means," noted Prince Guillaume, clarifying that public money would not be used to fund the construction. He added that "all the legal provisions and regulations that apply to this type of project in the Grand Duchy [would be] strictly adhered to".
The statement specified that the castle would retain "its function as a workplace for official receptions or the reception of personalities". Prince Guillaume also hinted at the possibility of opening the castle up to the public at certain times of the year, as is already the case for the Grand Ducal Palace in summer.
"We are convinced that this is the best possible way to combine our institutional obligations with our family life," the Hereditary Grand Duke concluded, also thanking everyone involved in the project to date and in the future.
