In October 2000 we opened this site on the occasion of the enthronement of His Royal Highness the Grand-Duke Henri of Luxembourg, which marked the first time since 1993 that Europe had seen a royal enthronement. Since then, no other enthronement happened and thus there are no new contents to this site. But with some learning of site-making than those we had then, we decided to update the site, with a new layout and with smaller pictures to allow an easier download.

Since 1964, when the then Hereditary Grand-Duke Jean received the throne of Luxembourg from his mother, the beloved Grand-Duchess Charlotte, father of the present Grand-Duke of Luxembourg, seven of the other nine European monarchies have had their sovereigns replaced, some due to abdications, some to deaths and one to a restoration of the monarchy. Those remarkable days in which the sovereigns were enthroned were marked some by national festivities, others by mourning ceremonies, others by discreet proclamations. In those almost 36 years, since 1964, only the United Kingdom and Monaco have not had their monarchs replaced.

This site is meant as a retrospective of the enthronements of Grand-Duke Jean of Luxembourg, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden, King Juan Carlos I of Spain, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Prince Hans Adam II of Liechtenstein, King Harald V of Norway, King Albert II of the Belgians, and Grand-Duke Henri of Luxembourg, on the 7th October 2000. These are not elaborate texts with analysis of the details of the enthronements, but a mere superficial review, providing the possibility of a latter development.

All the information and photos needed to build this site were found in my archives but also through the help of some friends, especially Eric Pacherie, Tanguy Rivière and Dag Hoelseth, to whom I give my most heartfelt thank.

We hope you all enjoy the visit of the Royal Enthronements site and we would also like to invite you all to visit our other royal events sites: the ones about three royal weddings and the site about the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, which was opened to mark the Golden Jubilee.

Please enjoy.

February 2002, the Editors

Wedding of HRH Crown Prince Harald of Norway and Miss Sonja Haraldsen

Wedding of HRH Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands and Mr. Claus van Amsberg

Wedding of HM King Baudouin I of the Belgians and Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón

The Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Index Page
Part One