On 14 February 1981, the future Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg married Cuban-born María Teresa Mestre y Batista.
They had met at the University of Geneva, where they took the same course. Their engagement was announced on 7 November 1980, shortly after they both graduated.
The New York Times reported a few days later, “The 24-year-old Cuban-born Swiss commoner who is to be the princess of one of the world’s smaller domains is scheduled to be officially introduced to the public today. She is Maria Terese Mestre, engaged to marry Prince Henri, the 25-year-old heir to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Miss Mestre is the daughter of a Cuban banker who fled with his family during the 1959 revolution when Fidel Castro came to Power. Prince Henri is one of five children of Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Charlotte.”1
Maria Teresa wore a Balmain wedding gown, paired with the Congo Diamond Necklace Tiara. They had a civil ceremony at the Grand Ducal Palace and a religious ceremony at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg City.
There were many royal guests in attendance, such as Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik of Denmark, King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium, King Olav of Norway, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, Prince Hans Adam and Princess Marie of Liechtenstein, Infanta Margarita of Spain, Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, and Princess Christina of Sweden.
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