100th Anniversary of Grand Duchess Charlotte's Accession to the Throne

To the left the portrait of Grand Duke Henri; to the right the portrait of Grand Duchess Charlotte. Below: the issuing state "LUXEMBOURG" and the year "2019". Above, arching around the portraits: the inscription "Centenaire de l'accession au trône de la Grande-Duchesse Charlotte".

Charlotte of Luxembourg is regarded as one of the most formative rulers in the modern history of the Grand Duchy. When she took over the regency in 1919 following her sister Marie-Adélaïde's abdication, the small country stood at a turning point: a referendum had shortly before decided the future of the monarchy, and the population had voted by a clear majority for its continuation. Over the following decades, Charlotte succeeded in strengthening the trust of the Luxembourgish people — not least through her conduct during the Second World War, when she led the government in exile, encouraged the population by radio from London, and thereby became the central symbolic figure of national resistance against the German occupation.

After liberation in 1944, Charlotte returned to Luxembourg and reigned until her abdication in favour of her son Jean in 1964. Her 45-year reign is among the longest in the history of the Grand Duchy and coincided with a period of profound change: reconstruction after two world wars, Luxembourg's rise as a founding member of European institutions, and the country's economic transformation. In 2019, Luxembourg honoured the 100th anniversary of her accession to the throne with a 2-euro commemorative coin depicting Charlotte's portrait alongside that of the reigning Grand Duke Henri — a juxtaposition that expresses both dynastic continuity and historical depth.