Happy 94th birthday Grand Duke Jean!

Luxembourg's Grand Duke Jean turns the ripe old age of 94 today, Monday, as he heads into his 51st year as Grand Duke.

With a pope as godfather (Pope Benedict XV) and as son to one of Luxembourg's most popular heads of state (Grand Duchess Charlotte), Jean's biography is a fascinating one.

Jean was born January 5, 1921, at the Grand Ducal family home, the Château de Colmar-Berg, the eldest son of Grand Duchess Charlotte and Prince Félix of Bourbon-Parma.

A little known fact is that Jean was the first Grand Duke in history to have been born and grown up in the Grand Duchy since it was made independent in 1839.

He did, however, spend a good deal of time abroad, attending a secondary boarding school in the UK, living abroad as a refugee during the Luxembourg occupation and studying Law and Political Science at Université Laval, Quebec City.

Before becoming Grand Duke, Jean volunteered for the British Army in November 1942 and fought in the Irish Guards. During his service, he landed in Normandy on June 11, 1944 and took part in the Battle for Caen and the liberations of Brussels and Luxembourg as well as the invasion of Germany.

On April 9, 1953, Jean married Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium, daughter of King Leopold III of the Belgians.

The couple had five children: Marie-Astrid, Henri, John, William and Margaretha.

Jean became Grand Duke on November 12, 1964, and served as head of state of Luxembourg until his abdication on October 7, 2000.

The life of Grand Duke Jean immortalised in a book

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