Grand Duke Henri delivering his Christmas 2024 message;
Credit: © Maison du Grand-Duc
On Christmas Eve, Tuesday 24 December 2024, Grand Duke Henri announced that he would abdicate in autumn next year.
The official statement read “Today, the Grand Duchess and I are pleased to share with you that Prince Guillaume and Princess Stéphanie will succeed us on 3 October 2025”; the announcement came during his traditional Christmas speech.
He took the opportunity to reflect on the past year which he did with great emotion, gratitude and humility as it would be his last Christmas speech as Head of State. Looking back on almost 25 years during which time Luxembourg has made great progress; "it was a time filled with challenges, great opportunities and hopes for a better future, of technological and economic progress, of social change and of many conflicts, all of which have made us reflect and brought us closer together as a nation. And we have remained united to make Luxembourg even more inviting and sustainable".
He talked about climate change being "probably the greatest challenge of the future", but also mentioned geopolitical tensions, wars and economic upheaval also requiring a need for reflection.
He reflected on "paying particular attention... to the diversity of our population and the need to live together". He described Luxembourg as a "crossroad of cultures, a place for dialogue and exchange, where people from all over the world come to live alongside Luxembourgers", stating that "solidarity is our strength". He added "Luxembourg is made up of all of you who live and work here; next to each other and with each other. You are what makes Luxembourg so special", and mentioned the "prosperity of our society and a guarantee for the future of our country".
He continued by looking forward to 2025 which "offers new opportunities to advance our vision of Luxembourg, a country that draws on diversity and innovation, that invests in education and research.. a country where citizens come first", referencing the next generation - also a nod to his abdication.
He concluded by wishing everyone a Merry Chistmas and a Happy New Year in multiple languages.
