A rose for Prince François of Luxembourg

On 3 June, the Lëtzebuerger Rousefrënn baptised the new rose ‘Prince François de Luxembourg’ in the presence of the Hereditary Grand Ducal couple Guillaume and Stéphanie of Luxembourg and their son Prince François at the Roseraie Château de Munsbach.

Prince François, the youngest son of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Luxembourg, was born on 27 March 2023. Like the rose named in honour of his brother Prince Charles in 2020, the new ‘Prince François de Luxembourg’ rose was also awarded the Luxembourg Prize of Honour at the Rose Novelty Competition in Baden-Baden.

The ‘Prince François de Luxembourg’ rose is not only beautiful, but also unfilled and therefore insect-friendly, emphasised Maryse Weirig-Hensel, President of Lëtzebuerger Rousefrënn a.s.b.l., at the rose christening on 3 June at the Roseraie Château de Munsbach. She spoke about Luxembourg’s interesting history as a land of roses and the country’s long tradition of christening roses in honour of members of the Grand Ducal family. The ducal couple and Prince François were delighted with the beautiful custom of christening roses and thanked the Lëtzebuerger Rousefrënn for the special new rose.

The ‘Prince François de Luxembourg’ rose was bred over six years by the Spanish breeder Matilde Ferrer Sena, president of the Association Española de la Rosa (AER). This modern bedding rose is characterised by its small, delicately fragrant white blooms, which have a rose-tinted bud, and its glossy leaves. The ‘Prince François de Luxembourg’ rose also impresses with its long, lush bloom, excellent health and great robustness.

Numerous guests of honour attended the christening ceremony, including Martine Hansen, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Viticulture, and Claude Marson, Mayor of the municipality of Schüttringen. After the rose baptism with water from the Munsbach stream, the Hereditary Grand Ducal couple and Prince François took a tour of the Château de Munsbach rose garden. They paid particular attention to the roses bearing the names of the Grand Ducal family. The rose garden is lovingly tended by volunteers from the Lëtzebuerger Rousefrënn, holds the coveted “Award of Garden Excellence” from the World Federation of Rose Societies and is open to the public and free of charge. The rose christening was accompanied by the melodic sounds of the well-known cellist André Mergenthaler. At the end, the municipality of Schüttringen invited guests to enjoy a glass of Crémant. The new ‘Prince François de Luxembourg’ rose will be available from autumn 2024.