Prince Guillaume to take Luxembourg throne on October 3

When Duke Henri of Luxembourg announced he would step back from royal duties, it came as an utter shock to royal fans.

The European monarch added another twist by deciding to hand over the throne to his eldest son after 24 years of reign.

As a result, Prince Guillaume will become Grand Duke of Luxemburg following his father Henri's abdication on 3 October 2025.

The Grand Court of Luxembourg has now released two new photographs of the Hereditary Grand Duke and Grand Duchess ahead of Prince Guillaume's accession in October.

Guillaume looked sharp in a navy suit and white shirt, with the royal residence's gold furnishings in the background.

A second portrait showed Prince Guillaume, 43, alongside his wife, Princess Stephanie, 41, with the couple posing together ahead of his future role.

Belgian-born Stephanie looked graceful in a cream mid-length dress.

This comes after Prince was appointed as Lieutenant Representative in October 2024.

On Christmas evening, Henri delivered a heartfelt speech, reflecting on his time as the Grand Duke and acknowledging that now it's time to pass on responsibilities to his son.

He said: 'The year 2024 is drawing to a close, and Christmas is the perfect time to reflect on the past year. This time, I do so with great emotion, as it is the last time that I will deliver the Christmas speech as Head of State.'

He added: 'As you know, Prince Guillaume has been Lieutenant- Represent ant since 8 October and is preparing intensively for his accession to the throne.'