Figure 1.--Here we see Grand Duke Jean and Joséphine-Charlotte with four of their five childen playing in the palace grounds about 1962 |
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Grand Duke Jean (John) and Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg had five children, three boys and two girls. We have very little information on their childhoods. Their eldest son Henri Albert Gabriel (1955- ) inherited the crown. His sisterMarie-Astrid was older, but only males could inherit the throne. He married Maria Teresa Mestre y Batista (1956- ), daughter of Jose Antonio Mestre and Maria Teresa Batista y Falla (1981). There other children were: Marie-Astrid Liliane (1954- ), Jean Felix Marie Guillaume (1957- ), Margaretha Antonia Marie (1957- ), and Guillaume Marie Louis (1963- ). We know very little about the children at this time. The image here shows the family about 1969 (figure 1). Grand Duke Henri Albert has urged Luxembergers to honor family values and to ensure equal rights forboth men and women. He has encouraged his subjects not to rely wholly on the relaxed banking that have atracted financial institutions from all over Europe. Increasingly complaints from other countries, especially the European Community are forcing reforms to the Luxemburg banking laws--although this has proven very controversial.
Their first child was Marie-Astrid Liliane. She was born (1954). Her godparents were King Leopold III of Belgium (her maternal grandfather) and Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg (her paternal grandmother). Marie-Astrid studied in Luxembourg and also in Belgium. She was awarded her certificate as a registered nurse (1974). She finished her education with a nursing certificate in tropical medicine from the Prince Leopold Institute (1977). She has been the President of the Red Cross for Luxembourg Youth since 1970. As a young womans, she was one of the few eligible marriage candidates with royal blood. The The most obvious union was with Charles, Prince of Wales. The press in the 1970s focused on the pair. The Daily Express reported it was a done deal. The British press claimed that Pope Paul VI had prevented a marriage by refusing under Ne Temere to accept that the children of the couple could not be brought up Roman Catholic. Actually, a marriage between the British heir and a Roman Catholic princess was unlikely, as the terms of the historical Act of Settlement 1701 would have had to have been repealed.
Crown Prince Henri became grand duke in 2000. Prince Henri's father, abdigated after reigning for 36 years. at an abdication ceremony. Henri at age 45 is Luxemburg's sixth grand duke since 1890, when the modern monarchy was separated from the Dutch crown. Crown Prince Henri pledged his allegiance in the Luxemburg Parliament. Henri while still prince married his Cuban-born wife, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa (1956- ), in 1981. The couple has five children. Luxemburg's national motto is 'We Want To Stay What We Are', Prince Henri has promissed his subjects just such continuity. He has urged Luxembergers to honor family values and to ensure equal rights forboth men and women. He has encouraged his subjects not to rely wholly on the relaxed banking that have atracted financial institutions from all over Europe. Increasingly complaints from other countries, especially the European Community are forcing reforms to the Luxemburg banking laws--although this has proven very controversial. Henri and Maria Teresa have five children: Prince Guillaume (1981- ), Prince Félix (1984- ), Prince Louis (1986- ), Princess Alexandra (1991- ), and Prince Sébastian (1992- ).
Prince John/Jean was born at Betzdorf Castle (1957). His formal name was Jean Félix Marie Guillaume. He was the second son of the royal family. He had a twin sister, Princess Margaretha. We know very little about his childhood. He attended schhool in Luxembourg, Switzerland, and France. He earned his baccalaureate in France. He completed a language course at he Bell School of Languages in Cambridge England. Language is important in Luxembourg as it is a multi-langage country. As a result of World War II, there were close military ties with Britain. His father and grandfather during World war II served in the British Army. Prince Jean entered military officer training at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst (1977). He was a member of the Champion Platoon. He was was commissioned (1978). He was made a captain of the Luxembourg Army (1979). He continued his education at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. After graduating, he went to New York and worked at W.R. Grace as a financial analyst. After rerturning to Europe, he earned obtained an MBA from INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France (1986). He renounced his right of succession to the Luxembourg throne (1986). He now styles himself Jean Nassau.
Princess Margaretha was born (1957). She was the twin sister of Prince Jean. As the sister of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and the sister-in-law of Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein, she is a princess of two current realms and a member of the Luxembourg and Liechtenstein reigning dynasties. The Princess holds similar precedence in both monarchies, as sister and sister-in-law of the Sovereign.
Prince Guillaume Marie Louis was born in 1963. His parebnts were Prince (soon to be Grand Duke) John (1921- ) and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte (1927- ) of Belgium. Guilaume was their youngest son. As an infant Prince Guillaume wore rompers as seen in the portrait here. As older boys the prince and his brothers wore weaters and trum fitting single-breasted suits. We know nothing about his childhood at this time. is title is Prince of Nassau. Prince Guillaume married Sibilla Sandra Weiller at Sélestat, Alsace, France (1994).
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