They only have eyes for fashion and crowned heads. Every year, the founders of the blog “UFO No More” concoct a ranking of the wardrobes worn by members of European monarchies. But all these new outfits spotted by fashion fans have their uses: they are worn by queens and other princesses when they participate in public engagements.
To put this ranking into perspective – in which we learned that the estimated value of Grand Duchess Maria Teresa’s clothes and accessories amounted to more than 175,000 euros – the bloggers looked at the “worked days” of the different families royal.
There are countless hours of work and meetings behind the scenes and in private that we are unaware of and therefore cannot include in this count.
UFO No More
“It is obviously important to note that there are countless hours of work and meetings behind the scenes and in private that we are unaware of and therefore cannot include in this count,” note the authors of the article. The data therefore reflects the number of days during which an event was included in the court calendar, the events on which articles were written in the media, or even the events published on the various social networks of the Courts. “Multiple events occurring during the same day are counted as a single day,” the blog further specifies.
The most active Grand Duke
According to these established criteria, the blog indicates that members of the Grand Ducal family participated in a publicly announced event during 171 days in 2024, or 46.7% of the days of the year. In 2023, the total was 166 days.
In detail, the Grand Duke was the busiest during this year 2024. Henri de Luxembourg was in fact active for 105 days in 2024, according to the count made by the authors of the blog. He is followed by the Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, and the 99 days during which he attended one or more events. Next comes the Grand Duchess and her 85 days of commitments, and the Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie, for her part, ensured a total of 50 days of participation in events.
“It can be noted that Prince Charles and Prince François joined the Grand Ducal Heir Couple respectively for 7 and 13 of their working days in 2024,” the blog also underlines.
More commitment in summer
Of all the months of the year, it was in June, the month of the National Day, that the Grand Duke was busiest, with 19 days of activities recorded. Hereditary Grand Duke William was also busy in June, with 17 days of activity. The Grand Duchess was more active in November (15 days), while the Hereditary Grand Duchess was busiest in July with eight days of engagements.
According to UFO No More, the four members of the Grand Ducal family have all been busier than in 2023, without exception. Among the most significant events of the year 2024, the authors logically evoke the appointment of the hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume as lieutenant-representative, but also the announcement of the abdication of the Grand Duke Henri during his speech of Christmas.
Less busy than other royal families
If we compare all this data to that of other European royal families, we notice that the members of the grand ducal family are not among those who participate in the most publicly announced engagements. Leading the way is the Spanish royal family, which as a whole was publicly active for 222 days of the year, or 60.6% of the days.
Spanish royalty is closely followed by Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco, who both had a publicly announced event for a total of 218 days of the year, or 59.5% of the days in 2024. The year Previously, the Prince and Princess had been active for 172 days.
Closer to Luxembourg, on the Belgian side, King Philippe, Queen Mathilde, Princess Elisabeth and Princess Astrid ensured one or more engagements for 187 days in 2024, or 51.09% of the year. Among the significant events for the Belgian royal family, but also for the Luxembourg monarchy, we can cite the state visit carried out by the grand ducal couple to the Kingdom of Belgium in April.
