Tessy Antony has been living in London with her sons, 12-year-old Gabriel and 11-year-old Noah, for just over seven years. While she goes through her divorce from Prince Louis, at which she has been representing herself in court, Tessy has been working for Professors Without Borders (an association that she co-founded) and also as a UNAids advocate. She also recently launched her own website on which the self-described “humanitarian, activist, mother” publishes news about the causes she supports as well as her academic papers.
Duncan Roberts: Where do you consider home, London or Luxembourg?
Tessy Antony: They are both very different but they both are home. Home is really where your heart is. So it is obviously always with Luxembourg. It’s where my family is, where I grew up, where a lot of my friends still are and my twin brother…and I adore him. Then London is also my home, because that’s where my children have been most of their lives, where they have their friends. And their happiness is mine. And it’s where I work and have my daily life.
Are you worried at all about Brexit? Do you think it will have an impact on your life?
I’m worried, of course. We have seen the impact it has on the economy in the UK, with the value of the pound. We do feel that people are confused and scared. I’m from Luxembourg, so I can’t speak for the people of the UK, but people are definitely struggling with it. I hope that the solution they implement will be the right one.
You are an advocate for female empowerment. Did this stem from your time in the army [Tessy was the only female in a Luxembourg army deployment to Kosovo] or even before that?
I think it started very young, actually. I was a little tomboy, I went into the forest and rode my skateboard--lots of things that little girls didn’t usually do. As such, most of my friends were boys. And I really saw the way boys treated girls. I was never a scared child. I learned, and I teach my children, to be strong, always with respect and kindness, but to commit to your actions. If you believe in something, stand up for it. So, I would always step in straight away if I saw a friend being bullied. I was inspired by a quote from Mae Jemison, the first African American astronaut, who said “don’t ask permission for the work you want to do”.
Being the only woman in my draft in the military was tough--I won’t deny it was so tough. I was twice subjected to sexual abuse attempts and needed to break a nose. Now, I know what women in the military and in violent regions go through. That really, really fired up the calling that was inside me already, that maybe I am here to speak up for women who can’t speak up for themselves. I really enjoy what I am doing, I’ve met incredible women all over the world, and I feel blessed.
You are featured in a new season of the “Living the Life” TV series focusing on what the trailer calls “ambitious superwomen”. Is that how you see yourself?
No, I see myself as just one person who is part of the community. I would never see myself as a superwoman, because I have my faults, I make mistakes, I am definitely not perfect. I have very little patience--I’m very Italian in that respect, I think.
I am learning every day. I will actually host the next series of “Living the Life”, which will film in the UK and the United States. I am very excited, working with women from all backgrounds and telling their stories. We all learn every day and to call someone a superwoman would just be very inappropriate, for any woman of any age. There are women who inspire us, and we are all extraordinary and unique. But we are all part of the big puzzle and as such part of the community.
As a co-founder of Professors Without Borders, do you see education as a key to enabling people in less fortunate circumstance all around the world?
I think education gives you different tools to communicate, to interact, to grow and find your skills and confidence. It has had a big part in my life and that of my children. I wanted to share that experience with as many people as I can, which is why I created Professors Without Borders. Everyone should have the right to experience these opportunities, to feel that they can contribute to the growth of their community and society, wherever it might be. A teacher is there to inspire, to listen more than speak. I feel very privileged to meet all these young people who are full of ideas, drive and inspiration who come to see us in their spare time.
Your day job is director of Vice Impact in charge of special projects for the whole Europe, Middle East and Africa region. What areas are you focusing on right now?
I help brands, institutions and governments understand that having a CSR [corporate social responsibility] paragraph in your annual review is not enough. Real impact requires that extra step, ensuring accountability, transparency, the good will to actually change something. But also making millennials understand who these brands and institutions are, and giving them actionable solutions. Vice is a platform bringing everyone together. My department creates campaigns, calls to action, we involve millennials from all over the world--73 million every month. Millennials and also Gen Z, the under 18s like my kids, have an incredible bullshit reader. They know what is wrong with society, with climate change and with brands. And they want to act. They feel empowered.
Quick bio
28 October 1985: Born in Gilsdorf
June 2003: Joined Luxembourg army
March-August 2004: UN Mission in Kosovo as part of the BELUKOS 13/15 detachment
September 2006: Married Prince Louis of Luxembourg. They have
two children, Gabriel and Noah
2011-2014: BA in international relations from American International University, London
2014-2015: MA in international studies and diplomacy from School of Oriental and African Studies, London
October 2015: Became UNAids global advocate for young women and girls
March 2016: Co-founded Professors Without Borders
January 2017: Announced separation from Prince Louis
January 2018: Director of Vice Impact EMEA region