He was born on 6 April 1955 at Berzdorf, the son of Grand Duke Jean d'Aviano of Luxembourg and his wife, formerly Princess Josephine Charlotte of Belgium.
On 14 February 1981, in Luxembourg, he married Maria Teresa Mestre (born 22 March 1956 in Havana, Cuba, the daughter of Don José Antonio Mestre y Alzarez-Tabio and his wife, formerly María Teresa Batista y Falla.
Their children are Guillaume (b. 1981), Felix (b. 1984), Louis (b. 1986), Alexandra (b. 1991), and Sebastian (b. 1992)
He became Grand Duke after his father abdicated on 7 October 2000.