Royalty in the News » Grand Duchess Maria Teresa

2011 Nobel Prizes Given Out in Sweden

Megan M — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:12:08 +0000

Over in neighboring Sweden, the rest of the Nobel Prizes were handed out, with the Swedish royal family witnessing the event. While some may see the Nobel ceremony as a time to honor the achievements of the winners, others see it as a major a fashion event, especially for the royal women.

Check out more photos at Daylife.com

King Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel and Prince Carl Philip were present for the ceremony. The Queen wore the same gown she wore to the pre-wedding events of Victoria and Daniel back in June 2010. The Crown Princess looked stunning in a deep blue sequined dress which flaunted her pregnancy. She is six months along, by the way.

Also in attendance, as guests, were the Grand Ducal couple of Luxembourg. Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa were at the Nobel ceremony because one of the laureates was from Luxembourg.

During the event, at the Stockholm Concert Hall, King Carl Gustaf personally gave the prizes to the recipients in the areas of medicine, literature, economics, physics and chemistry. The winners were:

Medicine: Canadian Ralph Steinman, who died just three days before it was announced he won. His wife, Claudia, took home the medal in his place. The other two were Bruce Beutler of the United States and Luxembourg-born Frenchman Jules Hoffmann

Literature: Swedish poet Tomas Transtroemer

Economics: Thomas Sargent and Christopher Sims of the United States

Physics: Saul Perlmutter and Adam Riess of the United States and US-Australian Brian Schmidt

Chemistry: Daniel Shechtman of Israel

The Nobel Prize laureates take home a gold medal, a diploma, and 10 million kronor ($1.48 million dollars, 1.10 million euros), which is shared if there is more than one recipient.

After the ceremony was complete, the royal family escorted some of the winners out of the Concert Hall and led them to the banquet where 1,400 guests gathered for fine dining. The menu consisted of lobster with pickled winter vegetables and Jerusalem artichoke purée, Guinea hen with porcini mushrooms and lingonberries, poached pearl onions with parsley roots and velouté sauce Mandarin and white chocolate mousse on a cinnamon-spiced cake with raspberry marmalade and fresh raspberries.

Sources: AFP, NobelPrize.org

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa Gives Out Edward Steichen Award

Megan M — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 00:33:00 +0000

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg was on hand to give out the fourth annual Edward Steichen award Thursday. The ceremony took place at the Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, or MUDAM as it is known.

Click here for original photo

This year’s recipient of the award went to 32 year old Polish born artist Maria Loboda, who divides her time between London and Berlin.

Another winner took home a new addition of the Edward Steichen award, called the Resident Edward Steichen, Luxembourg, New York City. It went to Claudia Passeri, who spends her time in Luxembourg and Perugia.

The Edward Steichen award has been given out every two years since 2005 to emerging talent between the ages of 25-35 in the field of contemporary art. The winner is invited to spend six months at the International Studio and Curatorial Program in New York City.

As for the new award, that is given to someone younger than 35 years old, who also gets to spend time at the International Studio and Curatorial Program, but only for three months instead.

Sources: Wort, Le Quotidien

Maria Teresa & Tessy Attend Red Cross Bazaar

Megan M — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:25:55 +0000

Check out more photos here

This past Sunday saw Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg attend the Red Cross Bazaar with her daughter-in-law Princess Tessy and two grandsons, Princes Gabriel and Noah.

This was one of the rare times to see Tessy perform any royal engagements, besides National Day or the closing of the Octave. It was also a rare moment to see her two boys, whom have certainly gotten big since they received the style HRH and became Princes of Nassau in 2009.

The Red Cross Bazaar helps the people of the Grand Duchy who are facing difficulties.

During the Bazaar, Maria Teresa and Tessy checked the booths and even let Gabriel and Noah do some face painting.

The Princess is married to the Grand Duchess’ third son, Prince Louis.

Source: Luxarazzi

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa Helps Burundi’s Young Delinquents

Megan M — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 22:45:34 +0000

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg opened a photo exhibit Friday, along with representatives from a charity in Burundi, a country located in eastern Africa. This exhibition is not just about art; it is about the plight of Burundi’s children who are imprisoned for years over minor acts.

Click here for original Wort.lu article

“Often children end up 12 or 13 years behind bars because they have stolen a goat or a flat iron,” Maria Teresa told reporters.

Once released, those children are left to fend for themselves in a poor country.

The Grand Duchess learned firsthand about this issue during her visit to Burundi in June 2009 as part of her role as a UNICEF ambassador. So affected, she turned the organization called Shalom House which aims mainly to help war orphans. Together with the Fondation du Grand-Duc et de la Grande-Duchesse, Shalom House began to find ways to help the delinquents find hope.

“They learn trades they can use later: auto mechanics, masons, carpenters,” said Grand Duchess Maria Teresa.

So far, 108 young people have benefited from this program. At the same time, good lawyers have successfully helped sentences in 157 cases be reduced.

This project relies on donations, though, and little is done in Burundi about juvenile delinquents. However, the Grand Duchess expressed how please she was with the people of Luxembourg responding positively to this cause.

Source: Wort

Luxembourg Grand Ducal Couple Attend Bishop Consecration

Megan M — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 23:00:52 +0000

Click here to see more of the Bishop's concentration

On Sunday, Luxembourg’s Grand Ducal couple witnessed the concentration of Jean Claude Hollerich as the eighth bishop and third archbishop of the archdiocese of Luxembourg.

The deeply religious Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa were among several hundred attendees of the ceremony at Notre Dame Cathedral.

The church service lasted three hours. It was conducted in Luxembourgisch – which is a dialect of German – French, English, German and Japanese. The latter happened because the now Archbishop Hollerich once lived and worked for years in Japan. At Sophia University in Tokyo, Hollerich was last rector of the Jesuit community and vice-president of the university.

Source: Wort.lu

Luxembourg’s Grand Ducal Couple Visit Norway

Megan M — Mon, 30 May 2011 22:28:22 +0000

On Monday, Luxembourg’s Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa began a state visit to Norway. The trip is to last for two days, and it is no different from any other state visit. Meaning, this one is meant to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations.

Click here to see more the state visit

Their Royal Highnesses arrived in Oslo in the morning and were greeted by King Harald V and Queen Sonja at Palace Square. Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit were also present for the welcoming ceremony, which included national anthems and inspection of the honor guard. Grand Duchess Maria Teresa also took time to greet schoolchildren who were watching the event.

Next came the laying of the wreath at Akershus Fortress, which commemorates the fallen during World War II.

Afterward, Grand Duke Henri met with the Prime Minister and Parliament President Dag Terje Andersen.

During that time, Queen Sonja took the Grand Duchess to the newly restored cabin on Sæter Bygdøy at Oscarhall Palace. They were also given a tour of Seter cottage, and children from Dissimilis entertained the royal women.

In the evening came the state banquet. Princess Martha Louise and Princess Astrid were attendance.

The rest of the itinerary has the King and the Grand Duke meeting with business leaders while the Queen and the Grand Duchess will tour museums and art galleries. Also, the Luxembourg royals will go to Trondheim to see Statoil’s Research Centre.

But there is a question if Maria Teresa will continue with the state visit after today. Her brother, 58 year old Antonio Mestre, is in a coma at a Florida hospital after suffering a heart attack. Supposedly, the Grand Duchess will leave Norway early to go be at her brother’s side.

Source: Kongehuset, Wort.lu

Luxembourg’s Grand Ducal Couple to Mark 30 Years of Marriage

Megan M — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 23:33:35 +0000

In one week, on February 14th, Luxembourg’s Grand Ducal couple will celebrate their third decade of marriage. Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa released new photos of themselves, taken obviously before the Grand Duke’s recent heart surgery.

Cour Grand-Ducale/Christian Aschman

Luxembourgisch media is also reflecting on the wedding day. Wort published an article that quoted the then newlyweds from Télécran.

“This day I will always remember as the day in which a very great joy materialized into a dream,” the then Hereditary Grand Duke Henri said back in 1981.

“I will not conceal that I was a little excited about the enormous appeal, which had found our wedding in the media. At that moment, but in which my fiancee walked into the cathedral, any excitement was gone, and I knew that we would now be forever by two for the tasks that would put life and my function to us to overcome together. This moment is one of my best memories. ”

Maria Teresa also talked about her joyous day:

Cour Grand-Ducale/Christian Aschman

“We had just put a multi-year study behind us, which brought natural as for each student at his exam with him that had to exist. The more time we spent together was more clear to us that we would spend our lives together. You can imagine how great my luck on the day of my wedding was. Then there was the warm welcome afforded by the Luxembourg population me and all the uncertainties [of being the next Grand Duchess], I could feel, disappear. ”

Their Royal Highnesses met while studying political science at the University of Geneva. They went on to become the parents of five children: Hereditary Grand Duke Henri, Prince Felix, Prince Louis, Princess Alexandra and Prince Sebastien. The couple are also grandparents to Prince Louis’ two sons, Princes Gabriel and Noah of Nassau.

It is unknown if any celebration would take place as Henri is still recovering from an angioplasty at Castle Berg.

Source: Wort.lu, Wikipedia

Maria Teresa & Guillaume Attend Microfinance Award Ceremony

Megan M — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 17:59:08 +0000

On Tuesday, Luxembourg’s royal mother and son team, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, were present to distribute the third European Microfinance Award. Funded by the Luxembourg’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the award was given out at the European Investment Bank. This year’s recipient was the Ethiopian company, Harbu.

www.manueldias.com

Maria Teresa gave a speech during the ceremony, where she talked about social credit, something she supports.

“We need to give the poor the opportunity to borrow. The only way to help them out of trouble and prove that they are a real asset to the global economy,” the Grand Duchess said.

Harbu cultivates and processes soybeans and employs scores of farmers, many of them women.

The European Microfinance Award has been given out every two years since 2006.

After the award ceremony, both Maria Teresa and Guillaume mingled with the 400 guests.

Source: Wort.lu

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa Chairs Peace Meeting

Megan M — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 01:12:19 +0000

Hola! Magazine

During the past few days, Luxembourg’s Grand Duchess Maria Teresa has been in Barcelona to chair the International Meeting for Peace. Accompanied by her son, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, Maria Teresa has been attending seminars and round tables going over how to obtain peace in the world.

The International Meeting for Peace brings together representatives of various religions and is organized by the San Egidio community under the slogan: “Living a time of crisis. Poor family, family of God.” San Egidio works closely with the Vatican.

Monday’s meeting, which began the three-day conference, held at the Palacio de la Música of Barcelona and focused on the Mideast Peace Process.

For Tuesday, Maria Teresa and Guillaume were at the round table “Secular and Religious Believers, Common Challenges” in which included hundreds of religious leaders.

Among the attendees of the conference were also the presidents of Cyprus and Montenegro, the chief rabbi of Israel, the president of Catalonia, Jose Montilla and the mayor of Barcelona, Jordi Hereu.

Source: ¡Hola!

Luxembourg’s Grand Ducal Couple Visit Portugal

Megan M — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:06:41 +0000

Tuesday morning saw the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg arrive in Portugal for the start of a three day state visit. The point of this trip is to strengthen ties with the already close nations.

Presidencia.pt

Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa were first greeted at a Lisbon military airport by Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Amado, who took them to Monastery of Jeronimos for their first engagement in Portugal. There, the Grand Duke laid a wreath on the tomb of Luís Vaz de Camões, the most famous poet of Portugal.

After that came the official welcoming ceremony at Belem Palace by President Anibal Cavaco Silva and his wife, Maria. Following the playing of the national anthems and reviewing the honor guard, the Silvas took the grand ducal couple inside for brief talks and a lunch.

During that, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, who was part of the delegation for this visit, had talks with Luis Amado. On the agenda of the discussion appeared mainly to be about current European and international policy, preparation of the informal meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels, as well as bilateral relations.

At the same time, Luxembourg’s Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade, Jeannot Krecke, took the opportunity to meet with his counterpart Jose Vieira da Silva on themes of economic and financial news.

Later on, the Grand Duke and the President held a joint news conference where they told reporters about the close bond Luxembourg and Portugal have.

EPA/Manuel Almeida

“The element of closer association between the two countries is the Portuguese community in Luxembourg, a community of more than 80,000 citizens, representing a high percentage of active population of Luxembourg, which contributes significantly to the economic and social development of the country host,” said Silva.

President Silva mentioned that among the topics he discussed with Henri was bringing the Portuguese language into the Luxembourg education system.

“The two countries have been talking to strengthen this possibility be learned from the Portuguese in Luxembourg and the normal progress has been made in this direction,” he noted.

Silva also highlighted how this state visit will bring about economic discussions and regulations. “Luxembourg is a major investor in Portugal and hopefully in the future entrepreneurs Luxembourg continue to look and look further into the opportunities offered here in our country,” added the President, noting that during the Grand Duke’s visit will lead to a signing of a protocol on the double-taxation and combating tax evasion.

Grand Duke Henri took the time during the conference to talk about his Portuguese heritage and thanked the country for providing for his grandmother and his parents when World War II broke out.

Following the press conference, Grand Duke Henri had the opportunity to meet with the President of the Assembly of the Republic, Jaime Gama, and other members of Portugal’s political scene.

Tuesday evening saw a gala dinner in honor of the grand ducal couple.

Over the next two days, there will be tours of Lisbon and the Portuguese coast, talks with the Prime Minister, visits to child care services that treat young children with AIDS, discussions of technology and microfinance, and a visit to Portugal’s oldest university.

Source: Jornal de Noticias, Gouvernement.lu