Grand Duchess Charlotte was an important national symbol to the small duchy of Luxembourg during the Twentieth Century.
Born on January 23, 1896 at Berg Castle, in Luxembourg, Josephine-Charlotte of the House of Nassau-Weilberg is known to history as Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg. However, she was not born as heir to the small duchy.
The second daughter of Grand Duke William IV and Marie Anne of Portugal, Charlotte inherited the title of grand duchess when her older sister, Adelaide, was forced to abdicate following WWI. Adelaide had been quite friendly with occupying German forces during the war, much to the displeasure of her subjects. Liberal and socialist groups, hoping to capitalize on the public disapproval of the monarchy, tried to unite Luxembourg with neighboring Belgium. The government decided against unification, and Charlotte was made the new grand duchess. Charlotte promised the government she would not meddle in state affairs, and gracefully accepted a new constitution, which greatly limited the powers of the monarchy.
Charlotte married fellow royal, Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma on November 6, 1919 at the Cathedral of Our Lady in Luxembourg. In 1921 their first child, Prince Jean, was born. They would have five more children; Princess Elizabeth, Princess Marie-Adelaide, Princess Marie Gabriele, Prince Charles and Prince Alix.
Under Charlotte, Luxembourg prospered even during the economic depressions of the 1920s and 1930s. When Germany invaded again in August 1940, the royal family fled to England, and then further west to Canada. They remained in Canada for the duration of the war. Charlotte made regular broadcasts on BBC during the war, to buoy her citizens’ spirits. The results of her efforts helped make Charlotte a beloved symbol of national unity.
Following WWII, Luxembourg joined the Benelux union and became a founding member of the European Community (later known as the European Union). In 1963, President John F. Kennedy held a formal state dinner, in honor of Grand Duchess Charlotte, who at the time, was the longest reigning monarch in Europe. Upon arrival to the White House, via helicopter, Charlotte received a twenty-one gun salute and full military honors. The President and Mrs. Kennedy gave her a beautiful paperweight, adorned with malachite, azurite, turquoise and gold. In 1964, at the age of 68, Charlotte abdicated in favor of her son, Prince Jean. Jean’s eldest son, Henri, is the current Grand Duke.
Charlotte died on July 9, 1985 from Cancer, at the age of 89. She is buried at the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin, in Luxembourg City. Many of Charlotte’s children and grandchildren have married into other European royal houses, including those of Bavaria, Austria, and Italy.
Sources:
http://www.geocities.com/luxroyalty/charlotte.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Duchess_Charlotte
http://www.bartleby.com/65/ch/CharlotLux.html
Jackson, Guida M. Women Who Ruled. 1990
