Birth of Prince Charles (Photo)

Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy with their newborn son Prince Charles, who came into the world on 10 May. To the left: the issuing state "LËTZEBUERG"; below the design: the inscription "S.A.R. de PRËNZ CHARLES", the birth date "10.5.2020", and the marks of the Dutch Royal Mint (KNM) and mintmaster Stephan Satihn. Notably, the familiar portrait of the reigning Grand Duke Henri, which had appeared on every previous Luxembourg €2 commemorative, is absent for the first time — replaced by his crowned monogram "H" at the left edge.

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

Prince Charles of Luxembourg, born on 10 May 2020, is the third child of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and his wife Stéphanie, née Countess de Lannoy. His birth further extended the direct line of succession of the House of Nassau: Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke since 2012, moved one step closer to succeeding Grand Duke Henri, who has ruled the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg since 2000. Luxembourg's constitutional monarchy is deeply embedded in the country's self-understanding; the Grand Ducal House is one of the few remaining reigning princely houses in Europe and stands for institutional continuity in a country that, at the same time, holds international significance as a founding state of the European Union and a major financial centre.

With just under 660,000 inhabitants, Luxembourg is one of the smallest states in the EU, yet its location at the heart of Europe and the presence of numerous EU institutions give it a special standing. Luxembourgish society is strongly multicultural — more than half the population does not hold Luxembourgish citizenship — and the ruling house, with its network of European connections, mirrors this openness. Stéphanie de Lannoy comes from a Belgian noble family and, through her marriage to Guillaume, is part of a dynasty with ties across Europe. To mark the birth of Prince Charles, Luxembourg issued a 2-euro commemorative coin in 2020 that captures the moment with a family photograph of the Hereditary Grand Ducal couple.