Luxembourg’s Monarch to Hand Throne to Son in 2000

Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, who has ruled the prosperous little nation since 1964, will abdicate next year in favor of his oldest son, Prince Henri, the government said Friday.

The 78-year-old grand duke, one of Europe’s longest-serving monarchs, announced his decision to step down in September 2000 in a letter read to parliament by Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker.

“I’ve the deep conviction that, at the dawn of the new millennium, and after more than 35 years of reign, it is wise for me to withdraw from the affairs of state,” the grand duke wrote.

The monarch earned the enduring admiration of his subjects during World War II when he enlisted in the British army to fight the Nazi occupation of his country. As a lieutenant in the Irish Guards regiment, he took part in the liberation of France and Belgium before leading Allied forces into his homeland to a tumultuous reception.

During his reign, Luxembourg has developed as a leading European financial center, enabling its citizens to remain the European Union’s richest despite a decline in the steel industry, which was long the economic mainstay of the nation.

“The years of Grand Duke Jean’s rule have been good for our country,” Juncker told the parliament. “He has demonstrated he wants to end his reign with the same dignity and concern for the destiny of our state that he has shown throughout that reign.”

The monarch had long been expected to hand over the throne to his son Henri, 44, who has fulfilled many of the head of state’s tasks since 1998.

Under Luxembourg’s constitutional monarchy, the grand duke’s role is largely ceremonial, but he must sign all bills before they can become law and has power to dissolve parliament.

Henri, often seen as a dashing figure in his black-and-orange army captain’s uniform, also enjoys widespread affection among Luxembourg’s 365,000 citizens. He and his popular Cuban-born wife, Maria Teresa, have five children.