40th Wedding Anniversary of Grand Duke Henri (Photo)

Portrait of the young wedding couple, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and Grand Duke Henri. To the right: the year "2021"; below, from left to right: rose petals, the date "14. FEBRUAR 1981", and two intertwined gold wedding rings. The issuing state "LËTZEBURERG" and the two respective mint marks complete the design along the lower edge.

Alongside the specially struck "minted photo image technique" proof, a regular-strike version with the same design was also issued.

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and Grand Duke Henri are among the best-known royal couples in Europe — not least because their marriage has been a fixture in Luxembourg's public consciousness for decades. Henri was born in 1955 at Betzdorf Castle, attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom, and studied political science in Geneva. There he met Maria Teresa Mestre, born in 1956 in Havana, who comes from a respected Cuban family. On 14 February 1981, the two married in Luxembourg City — a date deeply etched into the collective memory of the Grand Duchy. At the time of the wedding, Henri was still Hereditary Grand Duke; he only took over the leadership of the state in 2000, after his father Grand Duke Jean abdicated.

Maria Teresa brought her own international perspective to the Grand Ducal House. She has been involved for years in global humanitarian projects, including poverty reduction and education, representing Luxembourg at the UN level in this capacity. Together, Henri and Maria Teresa have five children; their eldest son Guillaume now holds the title of Hereditary Grand Duke. Luxembourg, the world's only remaining grand duchy, cultivates its constitutional monarchy with a pronounced closeness to its citizens — the ruling couple is regarded as a symbol of both continuity and openness. On their 40th wedding anniversary, Luxembourg honoured the couple with a special coin issue in 2021.