Celebrating his birthday today, and having been Luxembourg's head of state for seven years, Grand Duke Henri now seems as permanent and entrenched a feature of the nation as the medieval fortress rock that overlooks the nation's capital.
He was born on April 16, 1955 at Betzdorf Castle, the eldest son of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg and Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte, formerly Princess of Belgium.
He succeeded his father as Grand Duke on October 7, 2000.
The Grand Duke received his primary and secondary education in Luxembourg and France, where he obtained his baccalaureate in 1975. He later enrolled at the University of Geneva, to study political sciences, and graduated in 1980. Between 1978 and 1980, the then prince - who by this time spoke English in addition to Luxembourgish, French and German - moved to the United States to continue his studies.
In 1974, Prince Henri undertook his military training at the Royal Military Academy of Sandhurst, in Britain, and re-emerged a year later with officer status. He was subsequently made a captain of the Luxembourg Army. Then, in 1989, as Hereditary Grand Duke and having distinguished himself in the country of his military training, he was made an honorary major of Britain's Parachute Regiment.
Since October 6, 2000, the Grand Duke has been a general of the Luxembourg Army. And in his capacity as head of state, he is also the commander-in-chief.