The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess Foundation: There when no one else is
With the accession to the throne on 3 October 2025, Luxembourg celebrates the arrival of its new grand ducal couple. Echoing this historic milestone, a new foundation has been established: the Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stéphanie Foundation. It is structured around several areas: supporting disadvantaged people through social action, working alongside people with disabilities to promote their inclusion and encouraging artistic creation.
Restoring hope, dignity and prospects to people in great difficulty. This is the credo of the Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stéphanie Foundation. Young in its creation, it also reflects the renewal brought about by the new Grand Ducal couple.
Officially established in mid-September, it is part of a long dynastic tradition in which royal houses have always placed solidarity at the heart of their values. In this spirit, the Grand Ducal Court specifies that the new foundation will take over all of the social commitments previously undertaken by the Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa Foundation.
A mission focused on the country
The mission of the Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stéphanie Foundation is to support the most vulnerable and to reach out to those who fall through the cracks of the social safety net, according to the Court.
However, unlike the Henri and Maria Teresa Foundation, which operates beyond national borders, the Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stéphanie Foundation focuses its efforts on Luxembourg, particularly on people in serious difficulty who reside in the country.
Its aim is to provide practical assistance tailored to the country's needs, while placing social action at the heart of its mission, emphasises Norbert Becker, President of the Property Administration.
Requests for assistance, made by social welfare offices, are assessed by teams of qualified professionals who decide, based on their relevance, whether support should be provided. In exceptional circumstances, the decision shall be taken by the Board of Directors, composed of Their Royal Highnesses The Grand Duke and The Grand Duchess, as well as the President of the Administration of the Grand Ducal Assets. However, the Guillaume Foundation cannot do everything, nor can it do everything for everyone, but it wants to take action where it really matters, says Norbert Becker.
Several pillars of solidarity
Beyond its support for disadvantaged people, the Foundation is also committed to promoting the full and dignified inclusion of people with disabilities – whether physical, mental or social – in all areas of life, including education, work, culture and social life.
At the same time, the Foundation wishes to support and initiate meaningful projects in the fields of education, youth, sport, health, environmental and animal protection, and the defence of human rights. The cultural project "De Mains de Maîtres" is a fine example of this. Supported by the Grand Ducal couple, it showcases the talent of artisans and artists. Created in 2016 on the initiative of the heir couple, the "De Mains De Maîtres" Biennial has become one of Europe's must-see events in less than ten years.
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