Evening star., 1953-01-23
Society News
By Katherine M. Brooks

Dy NornoTIne NJ. DEo0kS
The Grand Duchy Of Luxem-
bourg today Is celebrating the
birthday anniversary of the
Grand Duchess Charlotte who
has so many friends in Washing
ton. The Grand Duchess visited
here not too long ago and during
World War II was here often
while living in exile in Canada
and in Pennsylvania where she
purchased a farm.
Luxembourg Minister and
Nine. LeGallais planned no large
reception for today, preferring
to await the day of the marriage
Of their Crown Prince Jean to
the Belgian Princess Josephine
Charlotte. There is nothing
settled or definite that the Min
lister and Nine. LeGallais will
give such a party April 8 when
the Prince and Princess are mar
ried in Luxembourg City, though
1t is under consideration.
Heir Apparent
Crown Prince Jean is the heir
apparent of the Grand Duchy of
Luxembourg and celebrated the
32d anniversary Of his birth
January S. The Prince was chris
tened Jean Benoit Guillaume
Marie Robert Louis Antoine
Adolphe Marc d'Aviano. His titles
are Prince Heir Apparent of
Nassau and Prince of Bourbon
Parme. He is the son of His
Royal HighneSS Prince Felix,
Prince of Bourbon-Parme, Prince
Of Luxembourg and the Grand
Duchess Charlotte who cele-
brated the 34th anniversary Of
her accession to the throne on
January Is.
Prince Jean was given his
second name Of Benoit for hts
godfather Pope Benedict XIV. He
has only one brother, Prince
Charles, now Is years old, who
is a student at the University of
Louvain. Their four sisters are
Ellis be tn, Marie-Adelaide,
Marie Gabrielle and Alix, who
lives in Washington, where her
husband, Prince Antoine de
Ligne is assistant military, naval
and air attache of the Belgian
Embassy. Prince de Ligne is the
son of a former Belgian Ambas-
sador who was chief Of mission
here when the present AmbaSSa-
dor, Baron Silvercruys was coun-
selor of the Embassy back in the
late '20s. Princess Marie
Gabrielle was married last year
to Count Knud Of Holstein-
Ledreborg of Denmark.
Studied Abroad
Crown Prince Jean studied
political economy and law at the
University of Quebec while his
family was in exile in Canada.
He has travelled extensively,
visiting Luxembourg people liv-
ing in this country, and in South
America he studied the large
industrial centers, especially in
Brazil. He enlisted in the British
Army serving with the Irish
Guards in 1942, and attended
Oficers Cadet Training Unit at
Aldershot where he was COM |
missioned a second lieutenant in |
1943. The following year he was |
promoted to 1st lieutenant and |
took part in the Normandy
campaign. His regiment later |
was engaged in the liberation of |
Brussels.
The Prince of Luxembourg as
a brigadier general in the British
Army with Prince Jean, a 1st
lieutenant. were in the first tanks
that entered Luxembourg in
Gen. Patton's daring assault
which liberated the Duchy.
Since his return to Luxembourg
after leaving the Irish Guards in
May, 1946. he has devoted his
efforts to the building of the
Luxembourg Army, in which he
holds the rank of colonel.
Prince Jean is very fond Of
music and has a large collection
of recordings of the worlds great
masters. He also is a devotee of
sports and particularly fond Of
skiing. He is no stranger in
Washington where he accom-
panied his mother on one or
more Of her visits to the Capital.
Princess Josephine
The f1ancee Of Prince Jean,
Princess Josephine Charlotte, is
six years his Junior and is the
daughter Of King Leopold and
the late Princess Astrid of Swe-
den. The attractive young Prin-
cess was chriStened Josephine
Charlotte Ingeborg Elisabeth
Marie Jose Marguerite Astrid.
Grand Duchess Charlotte of
Luxembourg is her godmother
and her godfather is her uncle,
Prince Charles Of Belgium. When
the Princess was six, her father
acceded to the throne and q |
year later her mother was killed