Grand Duchess Maria Teresa shares rare photos of baby grandson after husband’s abdication announcement

It was a day of celebrations for the Luxembourg royals as Prince Balthazar turned one on Tuesday.

The tot is the youngest child of Prince Felix and Princess Claire, who are also parents to Princess Amalia, ten, and Prince Liam, eight.

Proud grandmother Grand Maria Teresa shared a carousel of photographs of her grandson on her personal Instagram account, showing the little Prince with his family during a summer photoshoot, meeting the Pope and the moment his grandparents met him for the first time after his birth.

“Very happy birthday to our dear Balthazar,” Grand Maria Teresa wrote in the caption.

In a rare move, the Grand Ducal Court shared the first pictures of Prince Balthazar from Maternité Grande-Duchesse Charlotte hospital when he was born on 7 January 2023.

Grand Maria Teresa and Grand Duke Henri have eight grandchildren, with their youngest, Victoire, who is the daughter of Princess Alexandra and Nicolas Bagory, born last May.

© collection privée / Kary Barthelmey

The couple’s third child, Prince Louis – shares two sons with his former wife, Tessy Antony de Nassau – Prince Gabriel, 18, and Prince Noah, 17. 

Henri’s heir and future Grand Duke, Guillaume has two sons, Prince Charles, four, and one-year-old Prince François with his wife, Princess Stephanie.

In an emotional Christmas broadcast, Grand Duke Henri, 69, revealed he will abdicate from the throne on 3 October in favour of his son, Prince Guillaume.

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Henri will have reigned for 25 years when he steps down, having succeeded his father, Grand Duke Jean, on 7 October 2000.

Guillaume, 43, was made Lieutenant-Représentant in October 2024 and has been preparing for his future role.

In his speech, Henri said of his son and daughter-in-law: “I know that they will do their utmost to contribute to the well-being of our country.”

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Reflecting on his reign, the Grand Duke said: “It has been a period during which Luxembourg has made much progress, and I am pleased to have been able to be part of that journey with you, together with the Grand Duchess.

“It has been a quarter of a century of challenges, opportunities and hopes for a better future: of technological and economic progress, of social change, but also of many conflicts. All were moments that 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.”

Henri’s decision to abdicate follows a common practice for many of the European monarchies, with Denmark’s Queen Margrethe stepping down from the throne in favour of her son, Frederik, in January 2024.