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.
Early life
Birth and family
Jean was born on 5 January 1921 at Berg Castle in central Luxembourg, the first child of Grand Duchess Charlotte and of Prince Félix. He was born just two years after his mother's accession as Grand Duchess, which took place after her elder sister Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde had been forced to abdicate in 1919 when she was accused of being pro-German during the First World War. As the eldest child of the reigning Grand Duchess, he was heir apparent from birth. Among his godparents was Pope Benedict XV, who gave him his second name.
Childhood and education
Prince Jean was raised with his five siblings, and grew up primarily at his parents' residence, Berg Castle, in the town of Colmar-Berg. The young prince attended primary school in Luxembourg, where he continued the initial stage of secondary education. From 1934 to 1938, he completed secondary school at Ampleforth College, a Roman Catholic boarding school in the United Kingdom. Upon reaching maturity, on 5 January 1939 he was styled 'Hereditary Grand Duke', recognising his status as heir apparent.
Hereditary Grand Duke
Second World War
Just a few months later, World War II broke out. Although the country declared itself neutral and unarmed, the Luxembourgers knew from their World War I experience that their country's neutrality would not necessarily protect them. On 10 May 1940, Germany invaded Luxembourg, beginning a four-year occupation. Having been warned of an imminent invasion, the Grand Ducal Family escaped the previous night, together with the government of Luxembourg.
At first, they sought refuge in Paris, before fleeing France only weeks later, after receiving transit visas to Portugal from the Portuguese consul Aristides de Sousa Mendes, in June 1940. They arrived at Vilar Formoso on 23 June 1940. After travelling through Coimbra and Lisbon, the family first stayed in Cascais, in Casa de Santa Maria, owned by Manuel Espírito Santo, who was then the honorary consul for Luxembourg in Portugal. By July they had moved to Monte Estoril, staying at the Chalet Posser de Andrade. On 10 July 1940, Prince Jean, together with his father Prince Félix, his siblings, Princess Elisabeth, Princess Marie Adelaide, Princess Marie Gabriele, Prince Charles and Princess Alix, the nanny Justine Reinard and the chauffeur Eugène Niclou, along with his wife Joséphine, boarded the S.S. Trenton headed for New York City, where they sought refuge in the United States, renting an estate in Brookville, New York. The grand duchess travelled from Portugal to London, where a government in exile was set up, before joining her family in North America. Jean studied Law and Political Science at Université Laval, Quebec City.