News / Europe

Luxembourg's Heir to Throne Weds Belgian Countess

Luxembourg's Prince Guillaume and Countess Stephanie wave from the balcony of the Royal Palace after their wedding in Luxembourg, October 20, 2012.Luxembourg's Prince Guillaume and Countess Stephanie wave from the balcony of the Royal Palace after their wedding in Luxembourg, October 20, 2012.
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Luxembourg's Prince Guillaume and Countess Stephanie wave from the balcony of the Royal Palace after their wedding in Luxembourg, October 20, 2012.
Luxembourg's Prince Guillaume and Countess Stephanie wave from the balcony of the Royal Palace after their wedding in Luxembourg, October 20, 2012.
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VOA News
Luxembourg's Prince Guillaume has married Belgian Countess Stephanie de Lannoy in an elaborate Catholic wedding ceremony that was the country's largest royal event in decades.

The heir to Luxembourg's throne and his bride wed in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Luxembourg Saturday.  Royals from across the globe attended the wedding mass, including Prince Edward of Britain and Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan.

The bride wore an ivory lace gown adorned with a silver floral motif, and her hair was pulled back with a veil that trailed the full length of her train. Her attendants wore long apricot-colored dresses.

After the ceremony, the newlyweds shared a kiss on the palace balcony in front of a cheering crowd.

  • Luxembourg's Prince Guillaume and Countess Stephanie kiss on the balcony of the Royal Palace after their wedding in Luxembourg, October 20, 2012.
  • People wave Luxembourg's national flags as Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and his wife Princess Stephanie wave on the Grand Ducal Palace balcony after their religious wedding, October 20, 2012.
  • From L to R : Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume (4thR) and his wife Princess Stephanie (C), wave on the Grand Ducal Palace balcony with Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg (3rdR) and Grand Duke Henri (4thL) after their religious wedding, October 20, 2012.
  • Luxembourg's Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and his wife Princess Stephanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, leave Notre-Dame Cathedral after their religious wedding service, October 20, 2012.
  • A girl waves a Luxembourg flag as she watches the royal wedding on a video screen at square in Luxembourg, October 20, 2012.
  • Luxembourg's Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume arrives with his mother Grand Duchess Maria Teresa for his religious wedding service with Countess Stephanie de Lannoy at Notre-Dame Cathedral, October 20, 2012.
  • Countess Stephanie de Lannoy arrives with her brother Jehan de Lannoy for her religious wedding service with Luxembourg's Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, at Notre-Dame Cathedral, October 20, 2012.
  • Countess Stephanie de Lannoy leaves the Grand Ducal Palace on her way to the Notre-Dame Cathedral for her religious wedding with Luxembourg's Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume in Luxembourg, October 20, 2012.
  • Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume (2ndR) and his wife Countess Stephanie de Lannoy (R) talk to residents as they leave the Luxembourg city hall after their civil wedding service, October 19, 2012.
  • Children hold Luxembourg's national flags as they wait for the arrival of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and his fiancee Countess Stephanie de Lannoy outside the townhall of Luxembourg before their civil wedding service, October 19, 2012.
  • Luxembourg's Prince Guillaume and Countess Stephanie wait for the beginning of their civil wedding at the City Hall in Luxembourg, October 19, 2012.
Guillaume will follow his father Henri as Luxembourg's next grand duke. The tiny country has a population of about a half a million people.

The religious ceremony follows the couple's civil marriage ceremony a day earlier at Luxembourg City Hall.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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