Luxembourg holds its breath for heir’s wedding to Belgian countess

Prince Guillaume, the heir to Luxembourg’s throne and the grand duke-to-be, will marry Belgium’s Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy tomorrow, reports Singapore’s Straits Times. It will be a two-day affair, including fireworks, concerts, a gala dinner at the palace and two marriage ceremonies – a civil wedding on Friday afternoon and a religious ceremony on Saturday morning. According to biographies distributed by the royal court, each has a wide array of interests. Guillaume speaks four languages, has studied international politics, is a lieutenant colonel in the 900-strong Luxembourgian army, and has been engaged in humanitarian work in other countries, including Nepal. The duchess-to-be has studied the influence of German Romanticism on  its Russian counterpart, plays piano and violin, swims, skis, and says she reads three books at a time. A glittering array of European royalty has been invited, and the guest list for the religious ceremony includes kings, queens, princes and princesses from Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Liechtenstein, Denmark, the Netherlands, Romania and Britain, which is sending the Queen’s youngest child, Prince Edward, and his wife, Sophie.