Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Encyclopedia
Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg (given names: Jean Benoît Guillaume Robert Antoine Louis Marie Adolphe Marc d'Aviano; born 5 January 1921) ruled Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
from 1964 to 2000. He is the father of the current ruler, Grand Duke Henri
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg OIH is the head of state of Luxembourg. He is the eldest son of Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium. His maternal grandparents were King Leopold III of Belgium and Astrid of Sweden...
, and the son of Grand Duchess Charlotte
Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg was the reigning Grand Duchess of Luxembourg from 1919 to 1964.-Early life and life as Grand Duchess:...
and Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma. Among his godparents was Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV , born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, reigned as Pope from 3 September 1914 to 22 January 1922...
, who gave him his second name.
Early life
Jean was born on 5 January 1921, at Berg CastleBerg Castle
Berg Castle , also called Colmar-Berg, is the principal residence of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. It is situated in the town of Colmar-Berg, in central Luxembourg, near the confluence of the Alzette and the Attert, two of Luxembourg's most important rivers.-History:The estate at Colmar-Berg first...
, in central Luxembourg, the son of the reigning Grand Duchess, Charlotte. He attended primary school in Luxembourg, where he continued the initial stage of secondary education. He completed secondary school at Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire, England, is the largest Roman Catholic co-educational boarding independent school in the United Kingdom. It opened in 1802, as a boys' school, and is run by the Benedictine monks and lay staff of Ampleforth Abbey...
, a Roman Catholic boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
in the United Kingdom. Upon reaching maturity, on 5 January 1939, he was styled 'Hereditary Grand Duke', recognising his status as heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
.
Second World War
On 10 May 1940, Germany invaded Luxembourg, beginning a four-year occupationGerman occupation of Luxembourg in World War II
The German occupation of Luxembourg in World War II was the period in the history of Luxembourg after it was used as a transit territory to attack France by outflanking the Maginot Line. Plans for the attack had been prepared by 9 October 1939, but execution was postponed several times...
. Having been warned of an imminent invasion, the Grand Ducal Family
Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg
The Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg consists of the extended family of the sovereign Grand Duke....
escaped the previous night. At first, they sought refuge in Paris, before fleeing France only weeks later. Jean went to Canada, where he studied Law and Political Science at Université Laval
Université Laval
Laval University is the oldest centre of education in Canada and was the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French...
, Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
.
He joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
as a volunteer in the Irish Guards
Irish Guards
The Irish Guards , part of the Guards Division, is a Foot Guards regiment of the British Army.Along with the Royal Irish Regiment, it is one of the two Irish regiments remaining in the British Army. The Irish Guards recruit in Northern Ireland and the Irish neighbourhoods of major British cities...
in November 1942. After receiving officer training at Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
, Jean was commissioned as a Lieutenant in March 1943, before being promoted to captain in 1944. He landed in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
on 11 June 1944, and took part in the Battle for Caen
Battle for Caen
The Battle for Caen from June-August 1944 was a battle between Allied and German forces during the Battle of Normandy....
and the liberation of Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. On 10 September 1944, he took part in the liberation of Luxembourg before moving on to Arnhem
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
and the invasion of Germany. After the war, from 1984 until his abdication, he served as Colonel of the Regiment
Colonel (UK)
Colonel is a rank of the British forces, ranking below Brigadier, and above Lieutenant Colonel. British Colonels are not usually field commanders; typically they serve as staff officers between field commands at battalion and brigade level. The insignia is two diamond shaped pips below a crown...
of the Irish Guards, often riding in uniform behind Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
during the Sovereign's Birthday Parade
Trooping the Colour
Trooping the Colour is a ceremony performed by regiments of the British and the Commonwealth armies. It has been a tradition of British infantry regiments since the 17th century, although the roots go back much earlier. On battlefields, a regiment's colours, or flags, were used as rallying points...
.
Reign
He became Grand Duke when his mother, the Grand Duchess Charlotte, abdicated on 12 November 1964.Grand Duke Jean abdicated
Abdication
Abdication occurs when a monarch, such as a king or emperor, renounces his office.-Terminology:The word abdication comes derives from the Latin abdicatio. meaning to disown or renounce...
on 7 October 2000, and was succeeded on the throne by his son Henri
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg OIH is the head of state of Luxembourg. He is the eldest son of Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium. His maternal grandparents were King Leopold III of Belgium and Astrid of Sweden...
.
Issue
He was married in LuxembourgLuxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
on 9 April 1953 to Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium (1927–2005), daughter of Léopold III, King of the Belgians
Leopold III of Belgium
Leopold III reigned as King of the Belgians from 1934 until 1951, when he abdicated in favour of the Heir Apparent,...
. They had three sons and two daughters:
- Princess Marie-AstridArchduchess Marie Astrid of AustriaArchduchess Marie Astrid of Austria , is the oldest daughter and the first child of Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte, and the wife of Archduke Carl Christian of Austria...
(born 17 February 1954). Married HI&RH Carl Christian Marcus d'Aviano, Prince Imperial and Archduke of AustriaArchduke Carl Christian of AustriaArchduke Carl Christian of Austria is a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and Archduke and Prince of Austria, Prince of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia...
(born 1954). - Grand Duke HenriHenri, Grand Duke of LuxembourgHenri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg OIH is the head of state of Luxembourg. He is the eldest son of Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium. His maternal grandparents were King Leopold III of Belgium and Astrid of Sweden...
(born 16 April 1955) - Prince JeanPrince Jean of LuxembourgPrince Jean of Luxembourg was born on 15 May 1957 at Betzdorf Castle, the second son of Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium. He is the twin brother of Princess Margaretha. His godparents are Prince Felix of Luxembourg and Princess Margrethe of Denmark...
(born 15 May 1957). Married Hélène Vestur (born 1958) in 1987 and has issue. Renounced the right of succession for himself and his descendants on 26 September 1986. His children, as well as his wife, bore the title Count(ess) of Nassau until given the title HRH Prince(ss) of Nassau on 24 November 2004 http://www.legilux.public.lu/adm/b/archives/2004/0881512/0881512.pdf. Prince Jean and Hélène were previously divorced and she was not upgraded under this decree. - Princess MargarethaPrincess Margaretha of LiechtensteinPrincess Margaretha of Liechtenstein is the fourth child and second daughter of Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte of Luxembourg...
(born 15 May 1957). Married HSH Prince Nikolaus of LiechtensteinPrince Nikolaus of LiechtensteinPrince Nikolaus Ferdinand Maria Josef Raphael of Liechtenstein , is the third son of Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein and his wife Countess Gina von Wilczek. Prince Nikolaus was born in Zurich, and is the Ambassador of Liechtenstein in Belgium and non-resident Ambassador to the Holy See...
(1947), son of Franz Joseph IIFranz Joseph II, Prince of LiechtensteinFranz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein, , was the Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein from 1938 until his death...
, and has issue. - Prince GuillaumePrince Guillaume of LuxembourgPrince Guillaume of Luxembourg born 1 May 1963 in Betzdorf Castle, is the third son and youngest child of Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte of Luxembourg.-Life:...
(born 1 May 1963). Married Sibilla Weiller (born 1968), a great-granddaughter of Alfonso XIII of SpainAlfonso XIII of SpainAlfonso XIII was King of Spain from 1886 until 1931. His mother, Maria Christina of Austria, was appointed regent during his minority...
, and has issue. His children bear the title Prince(ss) of Nassau.
Titles and styles
- 5 January 1921 – 12 November 1964: His Royal Highness The Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Hereditary Prince of Nassau, Prince of Bourbon-Parma
- 12 November 1964 – 7 October 2000: His Royal Highness The Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Duke of Nassau
- 7 October 2000 – present: His Royal Highness Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, Duke of Nassau
His full title is "by the Grace of God
By the Grace of God
By the Grace of God is an introductory part of the full styles of a monarch taken to be ruling by divine right, not a title in its own right....
, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Duke of Nassau, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Count of Sayn, Königstein, Katzenelnbogen and Diez, Burgrave of Hammerstein, Lord of Mahlberg, Wiesbaden, Idstein, Merenberg, Limburg and Eppstein." Many of the titles are held without regard to the strict rules of salic inheritance
Salic law
Salic law was a body of traditional law codified for governing the Salian Franks in the early Middle Ages during the reign of King Clovis I in the 6th century...
.
Change of dynastic titles
Jean renounced the titles of the House of Bourbon-Parma for himself and his family in 1986 when his eldest son, then-Hereditary Grand Duke HenriHenri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg OIH is the head of state of Luxembourg. He is the eldest son of Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium. His maternal grandparents were King Leopold III of Belgium and Astrid of Sweden...
married Maria-Theresa Mestre. The reason for this was that the Duke of Parma, Carlos Hugo, ruled the marriage unequal in 1981, as well as the marriage of Prince Jean to Hélène Suzanna Vestur in 1987, for which he had renounced his rights to Luxembourg in 1986. It is not known if the marriage of Prince Guillaume is seen by Carlos Hugo as equal.
The Arrêté Grand-Ducal of 21 Septembre 1995 established that the title of Prince/Princesse de Luxembourg is reserved for the children of the sovereign and the heir to the throne. It also stated that the descendants in male lineage of the sovereign should be styled as Prince/Princesse de Nassau with qualification of Altesse Royale and that the descendants of unapproved marriages should be styled as Comte/Comtesse de Nassau.
Luxembourgish honours and awards
- Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau (Grand Master 1964 – 2000)
- Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau (Grand Master 1964 – 2000)
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak CrownOrder of the Oak CrownThe Order of the Oak Crown is an Order of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.-History:The Order of the Oak Crown was instituted by the Grand Duke-King William II, in 1841...
(Grand Master 1964 – 2000) - Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of LuxembourgOrder of Merit of the Grand Duchy of LuxembourgThe Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a distinguished honorary order of Luxembourg. It was instituted on January 23, 1961 by Grand Duchess Charlotte. Grandmaster of the order is the Grand Duke of Luxembourg...
(Grand Master 1964 – 2000) - Luxembourg War CrossLuxembourg War CrossThe Luxembourg War Cross is a military decoration of Luxembourg which was first created on 17 April 1945 by the Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg. The War Cross recognizes military service and feats of bravery performed between the years of 1940 and 1945...
(with bar)
Foreign honours and awards
: Croix de guerreCroix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
(with bar): Knight of the Order of the Elephant
Order of the Elephant
The Order of the Elephant is the highest order of Denmark. It has origins in the 15th century, but has officially existed since 1693, and since the establishment of constitutional monarchy in 1849, is now almost exclusively bestowed on royalty and heads of state.- History :A Danish religious...
: Croix de guerre 1939–1945
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
House of Habsburg: 1,293rd Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
: Knight Commander of the Order of the Golden Spur
Order of the Golden Militia
The Order of the Golden Spur , also known as the Order of the Golden Militia, is a papal order of chivalry conferred upon those who have rendered distinguished service in propagating the Catholic faith, or who have contributed to the glory of the Church, either by feat of arms, by writings, or by...
: Commemorative War Cross: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland: 379th Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Tower and Sword
Order of the Tower and Sword
The Military Order of the Tower and of the Sword, of Valour, Loyalty and Merit is a Portuguese order of knighthood and the pinnacle of the Portuguese honours system. It was created by King Afonso V in 1459....
: Grand Collar of the Order of Infante Dom Henrique House of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
: Supreme Knight of the Order of the Annunziata (1978) House of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus is an order of chivalry awarded by the House of Savoy, the heads of which were formerly Kings of Italy...
(1978) House of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Italy
Order of the Crown of Italy
The Order of the Crown of Italy was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861...
(1978): 1,184th Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
: 951st Knight of the Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
: 1939-1945 Star: France and Germany Star
France and Germany Star
The France and Germany Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in World War II.The medal was awarded for operational service in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Germany from 6 June 1944 to 8 May 1945...
: Defence Medal: War Medal 1939–1945
War Medal 1939–1945
The War Medal 1939–1945 was a British decoration awarded to those who had served in the Armed Forces or Merchant Navy full-time for at least 28 days between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. In the Merchant Navy, the 28 days must have been served at sea...
: Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....