Royals on tour for National Day eve celebrations

Luxembourg's Royals were busy on Monday, visiting two towns in the south of the Grand Duchy before returning to the capital to enjoy the festivities as a family.

According to tradition, the Grand Ducal couple will visit a different town or village each year on the eve of National Day.

This year, Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Maria-Teresa visited the spa town of Mondorf-les-Bains, located on the southern border with France.

After a family appearance on the palace balcony earlier on Monday, the couple headed for Mondorf, visiting a recently restored Synagogue and a day centre for children and adults with mental disabilities and a care home for the elderly.

Here, the Grand Duchess officially opened the annexe of an after-school centre, part of the Grand Duchess Maria-Teresa primary school, after which some local firefighters will be awarded medals for their service.

Further west, their oldest son Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and his wife, Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie paid a visit to Luxembourg's second biggest town, Esch-sur-Alzette.

A memorial ceremony was held at “Place de la Résistance” where the prince laid a wreath, after which the pair joined a cortège to the Town Hall and helped light the traditional bonfire.

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