Will Guillaume become the new Grand Duke?
Maison du Grand-Duc для L'Essentiel
The process of transferring power to the "lieutenant" or viceroy, who will be Crown Prince Guillaume, has no official backing in legal documents. This is what former minister Alex Bodry tells us. He notes that it is important to officially publish the mandate of representation in order to ensure legal certainty. As long as Henri remains Grand Duke until his abdication, the Constitution (article 58) allows him to be represented by a Lieutenant-Governor who will take office after being sworn in before the Chamber of Deputies in October this year.
Alex Bodry, who was a minister during the transition between Jean and Henri at the end of the 1990s, notes that the mandate of the representative has not been made public in the past. He explains that, in addition to his economic missions abroad, the Crown Grand Duke will be able to carry out tasks such as signing laws and regulations, holding meetings with ministers and accrediting ambassadors. However, there may be limits: for example, Grand Duke Adolphe (1817-1905) reserved relations with foreign heads of state.
Baudry also emphasises that he believes Henri and Guillaume have similar personal qualities to govern. However, the Crown Grand Duke received a more "free" education, attending Luxembourg schools, which allowed him to socialise more with "ordinary" people. In addition, he is younger and can better understand the needs of his subjects at this time.
