Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg died last month aged 98. His state funeral was held yesterday at the Cathedral Notre-Dame. Princess Anne and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were present with members of the royal houses of Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Lichtenstein, Jordan, Spain, the Netherlands and Sweden.
As I was unable to attend, I signed the book of condolence at the Luxembourg embassy in Knightsbridge. The previous entry, occupying an entire page, was condolences from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In fact almost all the entries seemed to be either from embassies or representatives of the Irish Guards.
Generals Can Swim In Whisky. This is a mnemonic for the regiments in the Brigade of Guards listed by seniority; Grenadiers, Coldstream, Scots, Irish, Welsh. The Irish Guards was formed in 1900 and in its relatively brief existence four generations of my family have served. Colonel Jean left Luxembourg in a hurry in the Second World War and bravely enlisted as a Guardsman. He fought his way across Europe and was decorated by the United States, Great Britain and France. In 1984 he agreed to become Colonel of the Irish Guards and was a popular choice. I think he was the only Head of State to take part in the Birthday Parade (don’t call it Trooping the Colour), riding behind the Queen, and the only Guardsman to be Colonel of his regiment.The connection with the Irish Guards remains a strong one; Colonel Jean’s grandson, Prince Sébastien is currently serving in the regiment. Today Prince William is our Colonel.
Obituaries of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg were published in many British newspapers and The New York Times. A tribute was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Friday afternoon in obituary programme, The Last Word. It brought a tear or two to my eye, probably because military music usually makes me blub.
Two pipers from the Irish Guards played a lament yesterday, one of whom I had last seen at a Memorial Service in Farm Street in March. Abide with Me was sung in English. The funeral Mass was conducted with the decorum and attention to detail you’d expect from such an Anglophile House. (I watched it on TV.)