Front: Grand Duke Jean (1921-), ruler of Luxembourg 1964-2000

Grand Duke Jean was born Jean Benoit Guillaume Robert Antoine Louis Marie Adolphe Marc d'Aviano, son of Grand Duchess Charlotte and Prince Felix of Bourbon of Parma.

During World War II while exiled in England, he joined the British Army as a volunteer in the Irish Guards, reaching the rank of lieutenant in 1943 and captain in 1944. He took part in the Allied assault on Normandy, the battle of Caen, the liberation of Brussels, the liberation of Luxembourg and the invasion of Germany.

He was married on April 9, 1953 to Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium (1927-2005), daughter of Léopold III, King of the Belgians. They had three sons and two daughters. He became Grand Duke when his mother, the Grand Duchess Charlotte, abdicated in 1964. Grand Duke Jean abdicated on October 7, 2000, and was succeeded on the throne by his son Henri.

Back: Moselle River with dam and lock

Front: Grand Duke Jean (1921-), ruler of Luxembourg 1964-2000

Back: Factory

Front: Grand Duke Jean (1921-), ruler of Luxembourg 1964-2000 and William Frederick Henry (1820-1879), Prince of the Netherlands

Prince Henry was the third son of King William II of the Netherlands (1792-1849) and Anna Pavlovna Romanov (1795-1865), daughter of the Russian Tsar Paul I Petrovich Romanov. Prince Henry became Governor of Luxembourg in 1850.

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Front: Grand Duke Jean (1921-), ruler of Luxembourg 1964-2000

Back: City of Luxembourg

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is located between Belgium, Germany and France. For a more detailed country profile, see CIA World Factbook on Luxembourg.

Beginning on January 1, 2002 Euro becomes the official currency for Luxembourg.