Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg

Jean
Jean during a September 1967 state visit to the Netherlands
Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Reign12 November 1964 –
7 October 2000
PredecessorCharlotte
SuccessorHenri
Prime MinistersPierre Werner
Gaston Thorn
Jacques Santer
Jean-Claude Juncker
Born(1921-01-05)5 January 1921
Berg Castle, Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg
Died23 April 2019(2019-04-23) (aged 98)
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
Burial4 May 2019
Notre-Dame Cathedral, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
Spouse
(m. 1953; died 2005)
Issue
Names
Jean Benoît Guillaume Robert Antoine Louis Marie Adolphe Marc d'Aviano
HouseNassau-Weilburg (official)
Bourbon-Parma (agnatic)
FatherPrince Felix of Bourbon-Parma
MotherCharlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
ReligionCatholicism
SignatureJean's signature

Jean (Jean Benoît Guillaume Robert Antoine Louis Marie Adolphe Marc d'Aviano; 5 January 1921 – 23 April 2019) was the Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 1964 until his abdication in 2000. He was the first Grand Duke of Luxembourg of French agnatic descent.

Jean was the eldest son of Grand Duchess Charlotte and Prince Felix. Jean's primary education was initially in Luxembourg, before attending Ampleforth College in England. In 1938, he was officially named Hereditary Grand Duke as heir-apparent to the throne of Luxembourg. While Luxembourg was occupied by Germans during the Second World War, the grand ducal family was abroad in exile. Jean studied at the Université Laval in Quebec City. Jean later volunteered to join the British army's Irish Guards in 1942, and after graduating from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, received his commission in 1943. He participated in the Normandy landings and the Battle for Caen, and joined the Allied forces in the liberation of Luxembourg. From 1984 until 2000, he was Colonel of the Regiment of the Irish Guards.

On 9 April 1953, Jean married Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium, with whom he had five children. On 12 November 1964, Grand Duchess Charlotte abdicated and Jean succeeded her as Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He then reigned for 36 years before he himself abdicated on 7 October 2000 and was succeeded by his son, Grand Duke Henri.


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