BRUSSELS.- He Grand Duke Henry of Luxembourg announced on Sunday that he will begin transferring powers to his son William in October, in a surprise move that paves the way for the abdication of the monarch.
“I would like to inform you that I have decided to name Prince William Lieutenant-Representative in October,” said Enrique, 69, in a speech on the occasion of the national holiday.
“With all my love and trust I wish you the best of luck,” added the monarch, married since 1981 to Duchess María Teresa, born in Havana, Cuba.
The assumption of the title marks the beginning of the transfer of the crown to William, 42, although the process of change in the grand duchy will probably take several years.
The Duke
Enrique, a great athlete with a fortune estimated at billions of dollars, assumed the crown in 2000 after the abdication of his father Juan after 36 years of reign.
Luxembourg, a small country of about 660,000 people located between Belgium, France and Germany, has a constitutional monarchy with a limited role in government.
In 2008, the Luxembourg Parliament stripped the monarchy of its legislative function after Henry refused to sign a euthanasia bill.
The country, a rich financial services center with one of the highest per capita gross national income rates in the world, has been run by the family dynasty since 1890.
FUENTE: AFP
