Prince Hans-Adam II is the eldest son of Prince Franz Josef II and Princess Gina. He is the first Head of State to grow up in Liechtenstein and the 15th reigning Prince of the House of Liechtenstein.

Prince Hans-Adam II was born on 14 February 1945 and grew up with his four siblings in the parental home at Vaduz Castle. He attended primary school in Vaduz and was a member of the Vaduz scout troop.

In 1956, Prince Hans-Adam II entered the Schottengymnasium in Vienna, which his father Prince Franz Josef II had also once attended. In 1960, he transferred to grammar school in Zuoz, which he completed in 1965 with a Swiss Matura and a German Abitur. After his secondary school studies, Prince Hans-Adam II worked as a trainee at a bank in London. In addition to his mother tongue, German, he also speaks English and French. Prince Hans-Adam II enrolled at the University of St. Gallen to study business administration and economics, which he completed with a licentiate.

Prince Hans Adam II clearly stated his personal political beliefs and philosophy in his book "The State in the Third Millennium", published in 2009 and since translated into many languages.