Princess Stephanie of Luxembourg’s building plans at in-laws’ palatial home inspired by Meghan Markle?

After taking on the position of Grand Duke in October 2025, Prince Guillaume and his wife Princess Stephanie of Luxembourg are expected to do a house swap with his parents.

Guillaume and Stephanie will move into Berg Castle with their two sons Prince Charles and Prince François, while Grand Duke Henri and Maria Teresa will make Fischbach Castle their home.

Grand Duke Henri announced his plans to abdicate following 25 years on the throne in his 2024 Christmas speech. “For most of my generation, the time has now come to retire. It’s a natural process that has its raison d’être. This also applies to me. On our last National Day, I announced the appointment of Prince Guillaume as Lieutenant-Représentant. Today, the Grand Duchess and I are pleased to share with you that Prince Guillaume and Princess Stéphanie will succeed us on October 3rd, 2025,” he said.

“I know that they will do their utmost to contribute to the well-being of our country.”

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Guillaume and Stéphanie have called Fischbach Castle home since 2019 after they returned from London. They have already set out some plans for home improvements, but could one of them be inspired by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex?

In family photos to mark Stephanie’s birthday, the Luxembourg royals revealed they enjoy spending time in nature with Prince Charles and Prince François. Embracing a country way of life, the royal mother was pictured holding her youngest son’s hand and a bucket as she fed free-roaming chickens in a spacious outdoor coop.

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She later cuddled up to her son in an outdoor barn in a white roll-neck jumper, green trousers and knee-high boots.

The snaps were taken during a visit to the ‘Kass-Haff’ farm in Rollingen in 2024, but the royal family’s delight at witnessing organic farming could inspire them to set up their own chicken coop in their sprawling grounds.

Meghan Markle did just that in Montecito with her husband Prince Harry and kids Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. During a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, the couple shared a sneak peek of their charming chicken coop bearing the moniker ‘Archie’s Chic Inn, Established 2021’.

In 2024, the Sussexes welcomed Ellen DeGeneres’ chicken Sinkie into their thriving coop after she struggled to bond with Ellen’s other rescue chickens.

Berg Castle renovations

Grand Duke Henri renovated Berg Castle after he acceded to the throne in 2000, with a focus on environmentally friendly changes. According to the royal family’s website, the “maintenance of the park is based on ecological and sustainable principles without the use of pesticides and with respect for nature.”

Guillaume will similarly make some tweaks to the property when he moves in. He has already announced plans for a privately funded annexe for his family, which will blend in with the “heritage” of the existing property. 

© Maison du Grand-Duc / Kary Barthelmey

Lex Faber, Associate Manager of the construction company handling the project, explained: “The gardens are specifically addressed in the PAG. Within these gardens, a designated area has been identified for the new residence. The process involved evaluating the suitability of this location, ensuring it integrates well with the heritage of the site, and determining the construction approach.”

Mandy Arendt, Mayor of Colmar-Berg, added that the castle may open its doors to the public. 

“Prince Guillaume is enthusiastic about potentially opening parts of the castle to the public, akin to the palace in the city center palace. This could be a significant advantage for such a small municipality like Colmar-Berg, as currently, the castle is, for example, open to invited guests only.”

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