Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg was born on 5th January 1921 in Luxembourg. His full name is Jean Benoit Guillaume Robert Antoine Louis Marie Adolphe Marc D'Aviano. Jean is the eldest of Grand Duchess Charlotte and Prince Felix's six children. He grew up with siblings Elizabeth, Marie Adelaide, Marie Gabriele, Charles and Alix. Jean was born as heir apparent to the throne of Luxembourg as his mother was already Grand Duchess at the time of his birth.
Jean is the great grandson of the deposed King of Portugal, King Miguel I. Through his late wife, Princess Josephine-Charlotte of Belgium Jean is the brother-in-law of Belgium's two immediate past Kings, King Baudouin and King Albert II. The current monarch, King Philippe is the Grand Duke's nephew. Jean is also the father-in-law of Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein via his younger daughter, Princess Margaretha.
Jean did the majority of his schooling in Luxembourg, but finished his high school education at boarding school in the United Kingdom. A year after he graduated and returned home Luxembourg was invaded by the Nazis on 10th May 1940. 19 year old Jean along his parents and younger siblings escaped the night before the invasion and went to Paris, France. They were only there for a few weeks before Nazis invaded France. The Luxembourg royal family then fled to the USA and spent the war years in New York. Jean began attending college in Quebec, Canada where he studied Law & Political Science.
In 1942 whilst still in exile Jean went to England and joined the British army as a member of the Irish Guards. Jean completed his training at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. In 1943 Jean became a lieutenant and was elevated to Captain by 1944. The 23 year old prince took part in the liberation of Brussels, Luxembourg and Germany.
On April 9th 1953 Grand Duke Jean married the daughter of the late King Leopold III of Belgium and sister of King Baudouin, Princess Josephine-Charlotte of Belgium. The couple had five children together;
1). Princess Marie Astrid (17th February 1954)
2). Grand Duke Henri (16th April 1955)
3). Prince Jean (15th May 1957)
4). Princess Margaretha (15th May 1957)
5). Prince Guillaume (1st May 1963)
Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte have 22 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte died of lung cancer on January 10th 2005.
On November 12th 1964 at the age of 43 Grand Duchess Charlotte abdicated and Jean became Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg. Jean served as a Colonel of the regiment in the Irish guards from 1984 until his abdication. He was also a general in the Luxembourg army from the day his mother abdicated until his own abdication on October 7th 2000.
Grand Duke Jean was hospitalised in April 2019 for a pulmonary infection. On April 23rd Jean passed away at the age of 98 surrounded by his family.
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