The future Grand Duchess of Luxembourg has chosen a symbolic tiara for her first official portrait as consort of the tiny European nation.
Princess Stephanie of Luxembourg has worn the Belgian Scroll tiara in the new painting which marks the start of her husband’s reign.
The tiara was brought to Luxembourg in 1953 by Princess Josephine-Charlotte who was grandmother to the incoming Grand Duke, Prince Guillaume.
It was a wedding present to Josephine Charlotte, born a Princess of Belgium, when she married the future Grand Duke, Jean.
Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte wore it often during her husband’s reign. In the last few years, it has been used solely by the current Grand Duchess, Maria Teresa.
So the decision of Stephanie to wear it in this portrait is highly significant and underlines the new role she now has as wife of the sovereign of Luxembourg.
It’s also a nod to her own story – the soon to be Grand Duchess was born in Belgium as Countess Stephanie de Lannoy. The royal family she married into retains strong links with the Belgian ruling dynasty. The current Grand Duke, Henri, is a cousin of King Philippe of the Belgians and Philippe will attend the ceremonies around Henri’s abdication and the accession of Guillaume alongside his own wife, Queen Mathilde, and their eldest child, Princess Elisabeth, heir to the throne.
The Belgian scroll tiara is an all diamond piece and was given to Josephine Charlotte by the bank, Societe Generale. She wore it in some of her official wedding portraits and also chose it for another major moment in her life. When her mother-in-law, Grand Duchess Charlotte, abdicated in 1964, in favour of Jean, Josephine-Charlotte wore the Belgian Scroll tiara to watch her sign away the throne.
Stephanie chose more of Josephine-Charlotte’s jewels for this official portrait although these have been used by the soon to be Grand Duchess before.
The aquamarine and diamond bracelet and earrings depicted in the painting, by Louise Pragnell, are part of a set that was first used by Josephine Charlotte but which has been more widely shared around by her relations.
Stephanie wore parts of the set for royal celebrations in Oslo for the birthdays of King Harald and Queen Sonja almost a decade ago.
However, now she has chosen them as part of the symbolic jewellery seen in the historic first portrait of her as Grand Duchess of Luxembourg.
They are as significant as the tiara she has worn and mark a new era in Luxembourg’s royal history.
