Princess Alexandra Of Luxembourg: Inside Her Royal Wedding
While the then-upcoming historic coronation of King Charles made the most headlines in April 2023, another royal family also had an occasion to celebrate: the marriage of Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg to French businessman Nicolas Bagory in not one but two April weddings!
In November 2022, the Grand Ducal Court of Luxembourg announced the couple's engagement, and, one month later, the royal family announced the couple's upcoming wedding plans. "The civil wedding will take place on April 22, 2023, at the Town Hall of the City of Luxembourg. The religious wedding will be celebrated on April 29, 2023, in the Saint Trophyme church in Bormes-les-Mimosas."
Alexandra is the sixth in line to the royal throne in Luxembourg and the only daughter of the Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, known as the crown couple of Luxembourg. The princess has three older brothers — Grand Duke Guillame, Prince Félix, and Prince Louis — and one younger brother, Prince Sébastien. Alexandra's wedding was the first for the royal family of Luxembourg — just one example of royal families who live insanely lavish lifestyles — in a decade. The family last celebrated a wedding in September 2013 when Félix married Claire Lademacher at Basilique Sainte Marie-Madeleine in France.
Want all the details on this royal wedding? We've got all the deets on Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg's royal wedding(s).
The first wedding was a small civil ceremony
The first wedding of Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg to Nicolas Bagory on April 22 included a less formal civil ceremony. The small, low-key event — an example of the micro wedding trend — took place at the Luxembourg Town Hall; wedding guests included close family members of the bride and groom, such as the bride's parents, the Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and Grand Duke Henri; the princess' brother, Prince Guillaume; and her sister-in-law, Princess Stéphanie. Other close family members in attendance were Prince Louis, Princess Claire, Prince Félix, and Prince Sébastien.
Members of the public of Luxembourg, a city home to 640,000 people, gathered around the square in which the town hall is located to catch a glimpse of the new bride and groom. The couple greeted the public both before the ceremony and after, where they were seen posing for photos outside of the town hall and waving to the crowd from a balcony. As the newlyweds descended the steps of the town hall following the ceremony, they were greeted with celebratory confetti. After the ceremony, the couple celebrated with close family, friends, and local officials at the Grand Ducal Palace.
A religious wedding celebration followed the first
While the first wedding of Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg to Nicolas Bagory was small and laid-back, the couple's second wedding one week later was a more formal religious wedding in the south of France at the Church of Saint Trophyme in Bormes-les-Mimosas. Guests included the bride's brothers, Princes Félix, Louis, and Sébastien, as well as the Crown Prince Guillaume; his wife, Princess Stéphanie; and one of their two sons, Prince Charles. Princess Marie-Astrid of Liechtenstein and Princess Marie-Gabrielle of Nassau also attended. The groom was also pictured smiling with his mother before the festivities.
The bride and groom appeared to be all smiles during the day. Before entering the church, the princess was spotted having her dress adjusted by several people. Upon leaving the historic village church after their wedding ceremony, the couple was met by a large crowd of onlookers who took photos of them.
Perhaps, the most memorable part of the wedding day was the newlyweds' royal sendoff: They departed in a little white classic convertible with black leather interior driven by Alexandra's new husband. The front of the convertible, directly underneath the windshield wipers, was decorated with gorgeous blue and white flowers and greenery. The royal newlyweds smiled and waved to onlookers as they drove off, heading to their next destination.
The venues were historic
With Princess Alexandra's two weddings taking place at multiple locations, we're diving into the details of these venues. The couple's civil ceremony was held at the Luxembourg Town Hall, located in the heart of the city in William Square. The neo-classical-style building was constructed with stones from the old Franciscan monastery between the years of 1830 and 1838. The exterior also features two bronze lions highlighting each side of the main entrance staircase. The official tourism website for the city features a 360-degree view of the town hall and William Square.
The Grand Ducal Palace, where the newlyweds celebrated after their civil ceremony, is the official home of the Grand Ducal family. Situated in old town Luxembourg, the palace was built on the former site of Luxembourg's original town hall, which was destroyed in an explosion in 1554 after standing for over 100 years. Inside the palace, the first floor features an elegant and ornate reception hall. Every summer, the palace offers guided tours through the Luxembourg City Tourist Office; proceeds benefit the humanitarian efforts of the Foundation of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess — something duchesses are known for.
The Church of Saint Trophyme in Bormes-les-Mimosas, the site of the couple's formal, religious wedding ceremony, is ranked No. 11 of 22 tourist attractions in the area by Trip Advisor. One review of the historic church referred to it as "a nice little peaceful church in all the hustle and bustle of the Cote dAzur."
All about the bride and groom's wedding attire
Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg dressed to impress for both of her weddings. For her civil ceremony on April 22, Alexandra looked classy and elegant in a pair of cream-colored Maison Natan pants and blouse gathered at the waist. On top, she donned a Valentino wool cape (it's available at Saks Fifth Avenue for $4,500). She finished off her look with a pair of nude stilettos and a small white Chanel clutch, and she held a stunning springtime bouquet of fresh greenery along with pops of pink, yellow, and white flowers. Nicolas Bagory, the groom, was all smiles in a navy blue suit, pale blue tie, and white shirt.
For their big religious ceremony on April 29, the bride, this time, opted for a more traditional ensemble, a bridal gown. She arrived at the historic village church in the south of France with her father, the Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, by her side. She wore a stunning Elie Saab satin sleeveless gown in an A-line shape with pleated fabric criss-crossed at the bodice and the waist. The princess completed her look with an embroidered tulle veil and a diamond tiara, a family heirloom (more on that in a bit). This time, she held a small, simple bouquet of tiny white flowers enveloped in a bed of fresh greenery. The groom looked equally dapper in a dark gray cape-style tuxedo jacket, gray pinstriped trousers, white vest, white shirt, and blue-gray tie.
The princess' jewelry was mostly borrowed
Because Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg wore a pantsuit and cape with her long brown hair mostly down for her first wedding ceremony, little is known about her jewelry for the occasion. However, we can assume she wore her stunning engagement ring, a gold band with encrusted diamonds and other gemstones in an intricate design.
For her more formal April 29 religious celebration, though, we've got all the details on her jewelry, including that gorgeous diamond tiara, known as the Chaumet Choker Tiara, a family heirloom that has been worn by three generations of the Grand Ducal royal family. The Luxembourg royal family acquired the tiara at an auction during the days of the Grand Duke Jean's reign.
Over the years, the tiara has been worn by Alexandra's grandmother, Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte, and her mother, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa. Alexandra herself has also donned the tiara on more than one occasion. While the tiara has an optional set of tall pearl toppers to display, Alexandra chose to leave them off for her big day, which, interestingly, aligns with her decision to keep her wedding makeup super minimal and natural. On her ears, she chose a dainty pair of drop earrings featuring diamonds and pearls from the royal family's jewelry collection. And, around her left wrist, she displayed a double-row pearl bracelet with diamond clasp, another borrowed piece.
The royal wedding guests' fashion
The close family members of Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg and Nicolas Bagory also dressed to impress for both weddings. For the April 22 civil ceremony, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, the mother of the bride, donned a fabulous two-piece pants ensemble in coral pink by Maison Natan (the same designer Alexandra chose for her first wedding ensemble), a Belgian designer quite popular with other royals including Queen Máxima of the Netherlands and Queen Mathilde of Belgium. She completed the look with pumps also from the designer along with a Sophie Habsburg clutch. Princess Stéphanie, sister-in-law of the bride who is married to Alexandra's brother, Prince Guillaume, looked elegant in a navy blue Emporio Armani dress.
For the following week's religious ceremony in Bormes-les-Mimosas, France, the groom arrived alongside his mother, who wore a pale blue dress topped with a transparent mesh and lace overlay in a stunning floral design. She finished the look with teardrop dangle earrings, a cream-colored clutch, and pumps of the same color.
This time, the mother of the bride opted for a striking one-sleeved black pantsuit adorned by a thick bright green sash that trimmed the bodice and extended the length of the pantsuit, forming a large flower on her right shoulder — surely the focal point of the outfit. Stéphanie chose a navy sequined long-sleeved dress, while Princess Claire shined in a fuchsia off-the-shoulder ruffled dress with empire waist adorned with what appear to be crystals and gems.