King Charles reign sees second abdication

King Charles reign saw second abdication abroad as Luxembourg´s Grand Duke Henri officially stepped down in a solemn ceremony Friday.

Henri left the throne to his son Guillaume, who sworn in as new Grand Duke later in the day.

Wearing a green military uniform topped by a yellow sash, Henri, 70, ended a 25-year reign signing his abdication at the Grand Ducal Palace in the presence of guests including the Dutch and Belgian royal couples.

According to AFP, flanked by his wife, the outgoing monarch looked emotional as Luxembourg´s Prime Minister Luc Frieden thanked him for his service.

The small European nation of about 680,000 people lit up with pomp and pageantry as foreign dignitaries flocked to the financial hub to mark the historic occasion.

Later, wearing a green military uniform topped by a yellow sash, Guillaume, 43, formally acceded to the throne during a ceremony at the parliament in the eponymous capital.

Guillaume took the oath of service before lawmakers, foreign dignitaries, and his father, who, in a matching uniform, appeared emotional as he listened to his son´s inauguration speech.

This is the second abdication King Charles reign has seen after Queen Margrethe II of Denmark abdicated the throne on January 14, 2024, after 52 years as monarch, making way for her son, Crown Prince Frederik, to become King Frederik X.

King Charles became the UK's monarch at the age of 73 after he was crowned on 6th May 2023.