María Teresa of Luxembourg was feeling nostalgic this Sunday, looking back on an unforgettable chapter of her life, one that traces her roots to Cuba some seven decades ago. Born into one of the wealthiest families in the Caribbean nation, her relatives built their fortune in the sugar industry and went on to own two banks along with other major assets.
As a child, she emigrated with her family to the United States following the Cuban Revolution. By 1965, they had relocated to Europe, settling in Switzerland, where she would eventually meet her husband, the now former Grand Duke.
“Havana, 1956. With my parents, José Antonio Mestre y Álvarez Tabio and María Teresa Batista Falla, and my brother José Antonio,” the royal wrote on her official public social media profile. She was describing a touching, previously unseen black-and-white photograph she shared, one in which she appears as a baby, cradled in her mother’s arms. At the time, they were a family of four; later, the youngest sibling, Luis, would be born. Sadly, neither of her brothers is alive today. The eldest passed away in 2015 in Miami, and the youngest in 2022 in Geneva, both after illness.
A Milestone Year for María Teresa
This year, 2026, has been especially meaningful for the wife of Henri of Luxembourg, as she celebrated her milestone 70th birthday on March 22nd in grand style, as she continues to enjoy what could be described as a golden retirement. This new chapter follows her husband’s abdication on October 3, 2025, when he stepped down in favor of their eldest son, who is now the reigning monarch of the small European nation.
© Getty ImagesSurrounded by loved ones, the celebration took place at Berg Castle, with no one missing from the family gathering. In addition to her husband, all five of her children were present, along with their spouses and most of her grandchildren. Among them were Grand Duke Guillaume and his wife, Grand Duchess Stéphanie; Prince Félix and Princess Claire; as well as Prince Louis and Princess Alexandra, accompanied by her partner, Nicolas Bagory. The day also included the youngest members of the family: four-year-old Prince Charles, Europe’s youngest heir, and his brother François, 2; Amalia, 10; Liam, 8; Balthazar, 2; and teenagers Gabriel, 19, and Noah, 17.
María Teresa posed for photos with them in the gardens of the castle, a property belonging to the Grand Ducal family. Though not an official palace, it serves instead as the couple’s primary private residence. Located in a small town in the north of the country, it is surrounded by nature, forests, and rolling hills. For her, it is, without a doubt, the ultimate family gathering place and a haven beyond the official agenda. Originally built in the 19th century, the castle has undergone significant renovations over time and is not open to the public.
© Collection privée de S.A.R. la Grande-Duchesse Maria Teresa / Sophie MargueMaría Teresa’s retirement began shortly after her husband’s abdication, when the couple relocated to the French seaside town of Biarritz, where they own another home. Among their plans are road trips across Europe and even a motorcycle journey through the Himalayas, as the Grand Duke himself revealed in an interview with Paris Match. Ever dynamic, the Luxembourg royal has continued to stay active, recently stepping into the role of a publishing editor now that she has more free time. Last November, coinciding with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, she launched a magazine dedicated to addressing sexual violence in the context of armed conflict.
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