Guillaume V, Grand Duke of Luxembourg

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox royalty Template:Luxembourger Grand Ducal Family Template:Parmesan Royal Family Guillaume V (Guillaume Jean Joseph Marie de Nassau; born 11 November 1981) is Grand Duke of Luxembourg, reigning since 3 October 2025. The eldest son of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, he acceded to the throne upon the abdication of his father.

Early life and education

Guillaume was born on 11 November 1981 at the Grand Duchess Charlotte Maternity Hospital in Luxembourg City as the eldest child of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and his wife, Cuban-born Grand Duchess Maria Teresa.<ref name="official website profile">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His godparents are Princess Marie Astrid of Luxembourg and Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg. Guillaume has four younger siblings: Prince Félix, Prince Louis, Princess Alexandra and Prince Sébastien.

Guillaume attended public school, completing his primary education in Lorentzweiler and his secondary education at the Lycée Robert-Schuman in Luxembourg City,<ref name="officialbio" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> before attending Swiss boarding schools the Institut Le Rosey and the Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil where he finished the French baccalaureate in 2001;<ref name="officialbio">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Camberley, England.<ref name="officialbio" /> He began his higher education studies in the United Kingdom where he studied at University College, Durham and Brunel University, both in England.<ref name="ukedu">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2006 he entered Institut Philanthropos in Fribourg, Switzerland, where he spent a year studying philosophy and anthropology. He later studied letters and political science at the Institut Albert-le-Grand in Angers, receiving his bachelor's degree with honors in 2009. His degree was issued by Université d'Angers,<ref name="officialbio" /> as a result of a partnership agreement between the two schools. From 2018 until 2019, Prince Guillaume attended a postgraduate training at the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) in London.<ref name="official website profile"/>

The then-Hereditary Grand Duke completed internships at the Belgian Chemical Union in 2003, at the Deutsche Bank in London in 2004, and at the Spanish branch of ArcelorMittal in 2005.<ref name="official website profile"/> Sworn in December 2002 as an officer in the Luxembourg Army, Guillaume held the rank of colonel until his accession to the throne, upon which he was promoted to General and Commander of the Army.<ref name="official website profile"/>

Hereditary Grand Duke

Guillaume was heir apparent to the crown of Luxembourg from his father's accession in 2000 until 2025, when he became Grand Duke following Henri's abdication.

Guillaume became the honorary chairman of the Board of Economic Development of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, an agency for economic promotion and development, in March 2001.<ref name="Le Grand-Duc Héritier"/><ref name="official website profile"/> He has also been a member of the Council of State since 24 June 2005.<ref name="Le Grand-Duc Héritier"/> He attended the Millennium Conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York City in 2005.<ref name="official website profile"/> Guillaume also worked at the European Commission and the Permanent Representation of Luxembourg to the European Union in Brussels in 2012.<ref name="official website profile"/>

Guillaume is patron of the Luxembourg Cycling Sport Federation, Youth Hostels Central, National Association of Road Victims, Chamber Orchestra of Luxembourg, Youth Harmony Orchestra of the European Union, as well as to Young Entrepreneurs Luxembourg and Special Olympics Luxembourg Associations.<ref name="Le Grand-Duc Héritier">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

During the summer of 1997, Guillaume participated as a member of Luxembourg Scout Movement in a humanitarian camp in Nepal. He was involved in a reforestation project and other actions for the benefit of less fortunate communities. In 2017, he joined the board of directors of the World Scout Foundation to support the development of scouting around the world.<ref name="Le Grand-Duc Héritier"/>

In 1999, he participated in a charitable mission in Aguascalientes to provide the educational and social assistance to young people in one of the most deprived areas in Mexico. After having chaired the Kräizbierg Foundation, which works for people with disabilities, for more than 10 years (2000–2011), he accepted the title of honorary president in March 2011.<ref name="Le Grand-Duc Héritier"/>

During the 2001–2002 academic year, the Hereditary Grand Duke completed officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom. Following the completion of his training, he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Luxembourg Army by grand-ducal decree of 25 July 2002. In December of that year, he took the officer's oath of the Luxembourg Army at the Military Centre in Diekirch, in the presence of his family and national authorities. He is also a Knight of the Order of the Golden Lion of Nassau.

After his military training, he pursued university studies in international politics in both the United Kingdom and Switzerland. He subsequently attended the Institut Albert-le-Grand in Angers, France, completing a bachelor's degree in Humanities and Political Science at IRCOM. He also undertook internships in 2003 at Union Chimique Belge and in 2004 at Deutsche Bank in London.

From 10 June 2005 until his appointment as lieutenant-representative in 2024, Prince Guillaume served as a member of Luxembourg's Council of State, thereby gaining direct exposure to the country's political life. In the sporting domain, he granted his high patronage to the Luxembourg Cycling Sports Federation.

On the occasion of his 25th birthday in 2006, Luxembourg issued a commemorative €2 coin bearing his effigy alongside that of his father.

In September 2018, the Hereditary Grand Duke and his wife took up residence in London. There, Guillaume pursued postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Defence Studies. Founded in 1927, the institution welcomes around one hundred participants annually from more than 50 countries, offering courses in international relations, geopolitics, and strategic management for future high-level leaders. During this period, Princess Stéphanie enrolled in an art history program at the Sotheby's Institute of Art.

He is furthermore regarded by French legitimists as thirty-fourth in the line of succession to the throne of France.

Since 18 January 2016, Guillaume has been a member of the board of directors of Europäische Stiftung Kaiserdom zu Speyer Foundation.<ref name="Le Grand-Duc Héritier"/> He is also a member of the board of directors of the Fondation du Grand-Duc et de la Grande-Duchesse.<ref name="Le Grand-Duc Héritier"/>

On 23 June 2024, during the celebrations of Luxembourg's National Day, Grand Duke Henri announced that he would appoint Prince Guillaume as lieutenant-representative in October, marking the first stage in the transfer of grand-ducal powers and preparing the way for the monarch's abdication. The investiture ceremony took place on 8 October at the Grand Ducal Palace, followed by proceedings at the Chamber of Deputies. On 24 December, in his annual Christmas address, the Grand Duke announced that his abdication and the transfer of power to Guillaume would take place on 3 October 2025.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

He previously served as the Lieutenant Representative (Regent) for his father, Grand Duke Henri, from 8 October 2024, until his accession to the throne.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Marriage and fatherhood

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} On interviews for his 30th birthday, he stated that he was in a relationship with a "dear miss" that had been going strong for more than a year but needed more time to evaluate their possible future. On 26 April 2012, the court announced the engagement of the Hereditary Grand Duke to the Belgian Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The civil wedding took place on 19 October 2012; the religious wedding took place on 20 October 2012, at the Notre-Dame Cathedral.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Guillaume and Stéphanie have two sons, who are first and second in the line of succession to the throne of Luxembourg:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Charles Jean Philippe Joseph Marie Guillaume (born 10 May 2020)
François Henri Louis Marie Guillaume (born 27 March 2023)

Reign

On 8 October 2024, as had been announced by Grand Duke Henri on his Official Birthday that year, Guillaume was appointed as lieutenant representative (regent).<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> Under this capacity, he assumed a number of his father's constitutional powers,<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> such as the swearing in of ambassadors and the signing of Grand Ducal Decrees. This is traditionally the first step in the abdication process in Luxembourg, as both Jean (1961–1964) and Henri (1998–2000) have previously served in the position.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On 24 December 2024, during his Christmas message, Henri announced that the abdication would take place on 3 October 2025.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

File:Trounwiessel 2025 EP (106).jpg

Guillaume taking the oath

Guillaume acceded to the throne on that date, becoming Grand Duke of Luxembourg.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> While he is officially stated as Grand Duke Guillaume, he choose to be known as Guillaume V, thus emphasising the previous four Luxembourgish Grand Dukes named Guillame: Guillaime I, Guillaume II, Guillaume III, and Guillaume IV.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Titles and honours

Honours

Template:See also

National honours

Date	Appointment	Other
7 October 2000 – 3 October 2025	Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau	<ref name="Honorary distinctions">{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
3 October 2025 – present	Co-Grand Master and Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
11 November 1981 – 3 October 2025	Grand Cross of Order of Adolphe of Nassau	Template:Refn
3 October 2025 – present	Grand Master and Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau	Template:Refn
23 June 2012 – 3 October 2025	Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown
3 October 2025 – present	Grand Master and Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown
3 October 2025 – present	Grand Master of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Foreign honours

Country	Date	Appointment	Other
Template:Flag	15 October 2019	Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown
Template:Flag	23 October 2025	Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold
Template:Flag	5 March 2015	Grand Officer of the Order of the Legion of Honour
Template:Flag	30 January 2009	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic	<ref>quirinale.it</ref><ref>Gazzetta Ufficiale</ref>
Template:Flag	21 March 2012	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau
Template:Flag	30 April 2013	Recipient of the King Willem-Alexander Inauguration Medal
Template:Flag	23 May 2017	Grand Cross of the Order of Aviz	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Template:Flag	24 February 2023	Commander of the National Order of the Lion	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Template:Flag	7 September 2005	Grand Officer of the Order of the White Double Cross	<ref>Slovak republic website, State honours Template:Webarchive (click on "Holders of the Order of the 2nd Class White Double Cross" to see the holders' table) : 2nd Class received by Hereditary Grand-Duke in 2005, i.e. during the state visit Template:Webarchive (French) of Grand-Duke, Grand-Duchess & Hereditary Grand-Duke in Slovakia (7 September 2005).</ref>
Template:Flag	22 September 2020	Recipient of the Sandhurst Medal	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>