Crowned heads of Europe and ordinary citizens gathered on Saturday for Luxembourg’s biggest royal event in decades to see heir-to-the-throne Prince Guillaume wed Belgian countess Stephanie de Lannoy.
The cream of Europe’s royalty were on hand for a Catholic wedding mass at Notre Dame cathedral blending tradition with modernity, the day after the couple tied the knot in an intimate civil ceremony.
Luxembourg’s openly gay mayor, Bettel Xavier, was accompanied by his partner to the festivities, along with nearly 300 ordinary residents of the Grand Duchy.
In another modern touch, the rings the couple exchanged were made from fair-trade gold.
Luxembourg Archbishop Jean-Claude Hollerich celebrated the multilingual mass, which began shortly after 11:00 am (0900 GMT) as the blonde countess, wearing an ivory lace gown embroidered with silver filigree, entered the cathedral on the arm of her brother Jehan.
The gown, designed by Elie Saab of Lebanon, featured three-quarter length sleeves and a silk tulle veil, also adorned with the silver floral motif, that trailed some four metres behind her.