For their first official trip abroad, Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg and his wife, Grand Duchess Stéphanie, chose Belgium.
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde welcomed the newly enthroned Grand Duke and Grand Duchess during a ceremony at the Place des Palais this Friday morning. Around 200 people gathered to witness the event, a respectable turnout for such an occasion.
Guillaume and Philippe inspected the troops as the national anthems of both countries were played, followed by a short photo session. For Grand Duchess Stéphanie, who was born in Belgium, the visit marked something of a homecoming.
Inside the Royal Palace, the royal couples posed for the official photograph and the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess signed the guest book. Belgian ministers Maxime Prévot, responsible for foreign affairs, and Bernard Quintin, the interior minister, were also in attendance.
A brief visit to the Federal Parliament was scheduled for the afternoon, where the Grand Duke was to be received by Senate President Vincent Blondel.
Credit : Belga
