The medieval Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine in Provence provided a wonderful setting for the wedding of Prince Félix and Princess Claire of Luxembourg. It was the romantic culmination of a relationship that had begun twelve years ago as students at the Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil in Switzerland. Félix and Claire had already tied the knot in a civil ceremony a few days earlier at Königstein im Taunus in Germany, near to Claire’s hometown of Frankfurt. In opting for a civil ceremony prior to the religious, the couple were following in the footsteps of other recent royal marriages. Félix’s elder brother Prince Guillaume and Princess Stéphanie, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco and the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall all had civil weddings prior to a religious service.
Félix explained why the civil ceremony had been in Germany: “It is tradition that the wedding is celebrated in the country where the bride was born. We want to keep this tradition, which, as I think, is a sign of respect towards the family of my future wife. Additionally, the history of Königstein is closely connected with the history of the Grand Ducal Family, which enforces the symbolic nature of the choice even more.” For the civil service held at the Villa Rothschild Kempinski, Claire chose a silk ivory dress with a peplum feature and knee-length hemline, accessorized with aquamarine earrings. Amongst the guests were Félix’s parents, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, as well as Prince Guillaume and Princess Stéphanie, who also caught the eye in a very stylish blush pink outfit. Félix asked Claire’s brother Félix Lademacher to be his witness and Claire reciprocated by asking Félix’s sister, Princess Alexandra, to be hers. It was a charming family scene and, of course, the historic moment when Félix and Claire became husband and wife and she a Princess of Luxembourg.