# Grand Duke Henri Announces Abdication **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 26, 2024, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166 "2024-12-26T05:49:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2024, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/21 "2024-12-26T20:59:32Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > It won’t be as elaborate as the ceremonies around the elevation of Charles, but it won’t be nothing either. From experience, the events over recent decades in the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Japan and Denmark got a big ho-hum from the general American public and media. Basically an “oh by the way” aside in the news as a bumper before going to commercial, or a brief segment in the few minutes per hour block of “world” news you get on a slow day. And that’s without counting on how many Americans can know Luxembourg from Limburg or Liechtenstein. Or will be asking why is the Grand Duke grand and could there also be an Awesome Duke or a So-So Duke. (\* Usual topics for “world” news for USA: Middle East; war elsewhere where we may be directly or indirectly interested; China doing something that affects our interests; event elsewhere that may cause refugees to head this way; mass casualty event in the hundreds OR where an American may have been involved; British Royal Family shenanigans.) ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2024, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/22 "2024-12-26T22:22:02Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Basically an “oh by the way” aside in the news as a bumper before going to commercial, or a brief segment in the few minutes per hour block of “world” news you get on a slow day. Based on the royals of The Netherlands, it also helps if the younger female members of the family are blonde and good looking. How photogenic is Princess Stephanie? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2024, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/23 "2024-12-26T23:03:26Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > How photogenic is Princess Stephanie? She has a Carrie Fisher-esque look about her. [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Arvstorhertiginnan_St%C3%A9phanie_av_Luxemburg.jpg/737px-Arvstorhertiginnan_St%C3%A9phanie_av_Luxemburg.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Arvstorhertiginnan_St%C3%A9phanie_av_Luxemburg.jpg/737px-Arvstorhertiginnan_St%C3%A9phanie_av_Luxemburg.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2024, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/24 "2024-12-26T23:03:57Z")
What, no bagel-buns?!? ---
**Author:** ![Kitten\_Mitten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b782af/32.png) [@Kitten\_Mitten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kitten_Mitten)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2024, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/25 "2024-12-26T23:56:22Z")
> [@John\_Bredin](#): > > > [@Spiderman](#): > > > > Surely the royalty can afford pre-assembled furniture > > … > > > [@](#): > > > > Your lot buys it, my lot inherits it. 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![InsomniaMama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ad7895/32.png) [@InsomniaMama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InsomniaMama)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2024, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/26 "2024-12-27T00:48:26Z")
Bah dah dah BING! 😀 ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2024, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/27 "2024-12-27T01:00:34Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Or will be asking why is the Grand Duke grand and could there also be an Awesome Duke or a So-So Duke. Every American knows the Grand Duke’s job is to go from house to house looking for a woman whose foot fits the glass slipper. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2024, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/28 "2024-12-27T05:12:20Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > > [@Cervaise](#): > > > > so we can have **[the Ikea](https://maps.app.goo.gl/H3d7SB5vz6ZeUB2r7)** > > Don’t drag the Swedes into this. We have always been at war with Sweden. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2024, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/29 "2024-12-27T05:42:00Z")
Henri and Stephanie are a _ **fine** _ looking couple. I saw the video of their wedding on YouTube. One thing is the man who walked her up the aisle was her older brother, she was the youngest of eight kids. When the couple, before the vows, greeted a very elderly man I realized this was her father. He was in his early sixties when she was born. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2024, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/30 "2024-12-27T05:59:51Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Henri and Stephanie are a _ **fine** _ looking couple. Henri is Stephanie’s father-in-law. She’s married to his son Guillaume. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2024, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/31 "2024-12-27T07:46:09Z")
I couldn’t find a facepalm smiley, of course you are right. I’m an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2024, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/32 "2024-12-27T12:27:06Z")
They’re 🤦‍♂️ and 🤦‍♀️ as you prefer. That’s `:man_facepalming:` and `:woman_facepalming:` respectively. As with all our smileys, they’re each available in 6 shades. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2024, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/33 "2024-12-28T13:36:09Z")
They should immediately declare war on America, so that they can lose, and qualify for Marshall Aid. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2024, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/34 "2024-12-28T14:00:51Z")
Americans don’t care about Luxembourg because they don’t know anything about it. They couldn’t point to it on a map and I doubt they could even spell it correctly. I don’t think it’s ever mentioned in public schools unless in a history class on WWII. Plus, we’re not all that interested in monarchies, (except for the UK of course, since we used to be part of that one). I only know about Luxembourg because I’ve traveled to Belgium, and because my father was in the Army unit that did clean-up after the Battle of the Bulge, before continuing its march into Germany. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2024, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/35 "2024-12-28T14:08:20Z")
There’s also a gender-neutral facepalm: 🤦 `:person_facepalming:` If that matches the poster’s identity or philosophy better. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2024, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/36 "2024-12-28T14:12:52Z")
TIL. Thank you. I had not picked up on those. Turns out there are 33 of them. Although they seem to be kinda inconsistent on which classic yellow-circle faces are included as “person\_something” and which are not. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2024, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/37 "2024-12-28T15:33:48Z")
Did anybody else misread the title as _Grand Duke Henri Announces **Abduction** _. Because planning your own kidnapping? Man, that is some serious _boredom_. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2024, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/38 "2024-12-28T15:35:14Z")
🎼 There must be 50 ways to leave your castle. 🎵 Also, we have a thread for that: > [@Misinterpreted thread titles](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misinterpreted-thread-titles/978360): > > In the “Misread thread titles” thread I keep posting stuff where I technically read all the words correctly, but my brain interpreted it completely differently from what the poster intended. So I figured it’s time to start a separate thread just for that. [A Few Questions About Vegas](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-few-questions-about-vegas/978263/12) I keep reading that as “A few questions about [Chevy] Vegas”, as in the much maligned 1970s subcompact cars. Maybe I read too many car blogs, and I just saw a posting on [barnfinds.com](http://barnfinds.com) this morning for a Pontiac A… ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2024, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/39 "2024-12-28T19:24:11Z")
Someone has been reading “The Mouse That Roared” The books were better than the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2024, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166/40 "2024-12-29T04:33:52Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Did anybody else misread the title as _Grand Duke Henri Announces **Abduction** _. > Because planning your own kidnapping? Man, that is some serious _boredom_. He’s no egomaniac. He was planning someone _else’s_ kidnapping. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-duke-henri-announces-abdication/1012166.md?page=3)