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Henri GrandDukeofLuxembourg Biography

Luxembourgian Grand Duke who has reigned since 7 October 2000. He is the eldest son of Grand Duke Jean and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium, and a first cousin of Philippe, the incumbent king of the Belgians. Henri has four siblings: Archduchess Marie Astrid of Austria (born 1954), Prince Jean of Luxembourg (born 1957), Princess Margaretha of Liechtenstein (born 1957) and Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg (born 1963). On 12 November 1964, when Henri was nine, his grandmothers abdication and his fathers subsequent accession as grand duke made him heir apparent. As the grand dukes eldest son, he automatically took the title of hereditary grand duke. Henri was educated in Luxembourg and in France, where he obtained his baccalaureate in 1974. He then studied political science at University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International Studies, graduating in 1980. The Grand Duke also undertook military officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, England. While studying in Geneva, Henri met the Cuban-born María Teresa Mestre y Batista, who was also a political science student. They married in Luxembourg on 14 February 1981 with the previous consent of the grand duke, dated 7 November 1980. The couple have five children. On 7 October 2000, immediately following the abdication of his father, Henri acceded as grand duke of Luxembourg and took the constitutional oath before the Chamber of Deputies later that day. Link to Wikipedia biography Read less