Kary Barthelmey made a portrait of the future Grand Duke of Luxembourg

In 2012, young Kary Barthelmey stood in front of the palace with a small camera, filming guests at the wedding of Crown Prince Guillaume. She was only 21 and admits to being mesmerised by the dresses and the atmosphere of the occasion. Thirteen years later, she was commissioned to create the official portrait of the future Grand Duke, a photograph that will soon appear in Luxembourg's public offices.

For the 34-year-old Roeser native, who trained in Cologne and oscillated between fashion photography and reportage, this has become an honour and a responsibility. She has been part of the pool of court photographers for seven years and now works as an independent master. "When I found out I had been chosen, I was very nervous - by nature I always want to do everything perfectly," she admitted.

The shoot took place in a trusting atmosphere and lasted about three hours. "We did hundreds of shots in different costumes. Guillaume is used to the process, he is always friendly and open. He doesn't need the 'best profile', he doesn't try to hide anything and he trusts the photographers completely," says Barthelmey. The chosen portrait, she says, turned out as natural as possible: without artificial light, which the Crown Prince doesn't like, and reflecting his character.

The photographer's personal memories are also filled with warmth. Recalling one of the family's holidays in Cabasson in the south of France, she smiles: "We were travelling in an overloaded electric car. The car stopped and Guillaume and his sons, laughing, suggested we walk. He even joked that eldest son Charles might have been too heavy."

These moments of intimacy and simplicity, Kary believes, are what make her work special: she doesn't just capture images, but shows the authenticity of the people who are at the centre of the country's attention.