Tessy Antony de Nassau

Tessy Antony de Nassau (born 28 October 1985), formerly Princess Tessy of Luxembourg, is a Luxembourgian businesswoman and non-profit executive. She is a former member of the Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg as the ex-wife of Prince Louis of Luxembourg, the son of Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg.

Tessy Antony de Nassau
Antony de Nassau in 2019
BornTessy Antony
(1985-10-28) 28 October 1985
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
Spouse
(m. 2006; div. 2019)
IssuePrince Gabriel of Nassau
Prince Noah of Nassau
HouseNassau-Weilburg (formerly)
FatherFrançois Antony
MotherRégine Anne Heidemann
OccupationBusinesswoman, soldier[1]

The couple married in 2006 and had two sons. In January 2017, they announced their separation and intent to divorce, with divorce proceedings occurring in London. Their divorce was finalized on 4 April 2019. Upon their divorce, Antony de Nassau was stripped of her titles as a princess of Luxembourg, Nassau, and Bourbon-Parma.

Early life

Tessy Antony was born on 28 October 1985, the daughter of François Antony and Régine Anne Heidemann.[2] She has one older sister and three brothers.[3] One of her older brothers died shortly after his birth.[4]

After attending a technical high school in Pétange, (south of Luxembourg City), Antony de Nassau and her twin brother Ronny joined the Luxembourg Army at the age of 18, eventually rising to the rank of Corporal.[5] From March to July 2004, she took part in a mission in Yugoslavia, as Sdt 1cl Chauffeur C2, in Mitrovica within KFOR, the NATO peacekeeping force in Kosovo.[5] She is fluent in Luxembourgish, French, English, and German.[6] She took lessons at a music school in Differdange and plays the alto saxophone.[6]

Further education

Antony de Nassau graduated from Richmond, The American International University in London in 2014 with a B.A. in International Relations. She wrote her thesis on the rise of nationalism in Europe, using the example of the Greek far-right party Golden Dawn. Additionally, from 2005 to 2009 Antony de Nassau attended several trainings and lectures relating to the topics of "Education and psychology."[7] She earned her master's degree from SOAS, University of London.[8] In 2019, she received an honorary doctorate from the Paris College of Art.[9]

She has a Doctorate in Integrative Medicine and is PHD candidate at Quantum University.[10]

Career

In 2016, Antony de Nassau co-founded Professors Without Borders, an NGO specializing in international educational efforts, and is currently its Director of Logistics.[11] She currently works as founder and partner for Finding Butterflies Consulting, a consulting service focused on corporate social responsibility projects in education and female empowerment.[12]

Marriage and family

Tessy Antony met Prince Louis for the first time while he was a member of the army.[13]

On 12 March 2006, she gave birth to a boy, christened Gabriel Michael Louis Ronny de Nassau,[14] who was born at a private Swiss hospital, Clinic des Grangettes, in Geneva.[15] The baby was the first grandchild for Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa.

Tessy Antony on her wedding day

The couple married on 29 September 2006 at a parish church in Gilsdorf.[16] Upon their marriage, Prince Louis gave up succession rights for himself and his descendants, but retained the title of Prince of Luxembourg and the style of Royal Highness. The couple's second son, Noah Etienne Guillaume Gabriel Matthias Xavier de Nassau, was born on 21 September 2007 at Grand Duchess Charlotte Maternity Hospital.[17] The couple's sons were initially given the surname de Nassau with no titles.[18] Sometime after the birth of Noah, Tessy had a third pregnancy which ended in a miscarriage.[19] She has called it "one of the most difficult situations I have ever faced."[19]

On Luxembourg's National Day on 23 June 2009, a decree was issued granting Tessy the title of Princess of Luxembourg and Princess of Bourbon-Parma with the style Her Royal Highness. The same decree gave the title Prince of Nassau and style Royal Highness to her and Louis' sons Gabriel and Noah and possible future children. In 2012, Princess Tessy received the Order of Civil and Military Merit of Adolph of Nassau.[20][21] The decree granting Tessy de Nassau the rank of Princess of Luxembourg was, however, unlike previous decrees conferring titles, not made transparent to the public.[22]

On 18 January 2017, the Grand Ducal Court announced the separation of the Prince and Princess, and their intention to divorce,[23] whereupon Princess Tessy lost her Grand Ducal titles. However, Articles 1 and 4 of the 1995 Grand Ducal Decree (as amended) state:

Article 1. In the public and private acts which concern them, the Princes and Princesses born in the first degree of descent from the Sovereign shall bear the style of 'Royal Highness' before their given name and the surname '(de) Nassau' and shall bear the title of 'Prince or Princess of Luxembourg' following their given and surnames. Children of the heir presumptive shall be designated in the same manner... Article 4. In the event of separation of bed and board, of divorce or remarriage after spousal death, the titles enjoyed by consorts of the Princes of Our House in accordance with the present decree shall be lost forthwith.[24]

The divorce proceedings occurred in London,[23] and the divorce was finalized on 4 April 2019.[25]

On 31 December 2020, Antony de Nassau announced her engagement to Swiss businessman Frank Floessel on social media.[26]

Activities

In April 2016, Antony de Nassau was awarded the Mrongovius Medal for humanitarian involvement.[27]

Antony de Nassau is currently UNAIDS Global Advocate for Young Women and Adolescent Girls.[3] She is involved in charities and NGOs acting in favour of people with specific needs. She actively takes part in charitable events in Luxembourg as well as in London. She has been an active member of the Luxembourg "Groupe de Support Psychologique" (GSP) for the past five years.

Antony de Nassau became an ambassador for Shongolulu.[28][29] The company, based in San Diego, California, donates a percentage of their profit to support Wildlife Alliance.[30]

Hobbies

A keen sportsperson, Antony de Nassau regularly practises the following sports: swimming, scuba diving, spinning, skiing and hunting. She is a member of the Niederkorn Fanfare. She likes classic and contemporary music and is particularly interested in jazz. She regularly attends conferences and seminars on psychology and social development, topics she also enjoys reading about most.[3]

Honours

National honours

Foreign honours

Appointments

Honorary academic degrees
Others
  • 9 September 2019: Luxembourg Leadership Academy's Leader of the Year Award.[35]

References

  1. "Luxembourg princess defended by judge after 'fairytale' marriage to royal collapse". The Independent. 5 December 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2020. Prince Louis is the third son of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, while Princess Tessy is a former soldier who now lives in London.
  2. "La Princesse Tessy". Cour Grand-Ducale de Luxembourg. Archived from the original on 28 June 2017.
  3. "Biography of Her Royal Highness Princess Tessy of Luxembourg" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 November 2014.
  4. "Biography". Tessy de Nassau. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  5. Luxembourg, Princess Tessy of. "Princess Tessy of Luxembourg on serving in a warzone and being a victim of attempted abuse". The Telegraph (UK). Archived from the original on 14 April 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. "BIOGRAPHY OF HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS TESSY OF LUXEMBOURG". Luxury Law Summit Advisory Board. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2017.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. "Louis and Tessy graduate". Luxarazzi blog.
  8. "Tessy De Luxembourg LinkedIn Profile".
  9. "Honorary Doctorate: Tessy de Nassau awarded honorary doctorate from Paris College of Art". today.rtl.lu. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  10. "Founders and Team – Professors Without Borders". Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  11. "Finding Butterflies Ltd | The Global Consultancy". findingbutterflies.com. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  12. "Prince Louis and Princess Tessy are getting a divorce". Luxemburger Wort. 18 January 2017. From March until August 2004, she volunteered to join the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Kosovo as the only woman. During this time, she met Prince Louis who was also member of the army.
  13. "A baby boy for Prince Louis". d'Wort. Archived from the original on 30 April 2006. Retrieved 12 March 2006.
  14. "Gabriel". Clinic des Grangettes. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 14 March 2006.
  15. "Royal weddings in history". Vogue.
  16. "Netty's Royal News". Netty Leistra. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 20 September 2007.
  17. "Viele Schaulustige bei Hochzeit des Prinzen". d'Wort. Archived from the original on 2 May 2007. Retrieved 29 September 2006.
  18. Instagram
  19. "Nationalfeierdag: An der ganzer Stad gouf gefeiert". d'Wort. Archived from the original on 24 June 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2006.
  20. "Tessy von Nassau wurde Prinzessin von Luxemburg" - Tageblatt.lu 24/06/2009
  21. "The Future Title of Princess Tessy of Luxembourg". Luxarazzi. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2017.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  22. "Princess of Luxembourg branded 'gold digger' as she takes divorce to UK court". The Daily Telegraph. 14 October 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  23. Memorial: Journal Officiel du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg. 21 September 1995. Arrêté grand-ducal du 21 septembre 1995 concernant le nom de famille et les titres des Membres de la Famille grand-ducale. Luxembourg. (French).
  24. "EXCLUSIVE: Prince Louis and Princess Tessy divorce official". Royal Central. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  25. Barger, Brittani (6 January 2021). "Tessy Antony de Nassau announces engagement". Royal Central. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  26. "Happy Birthday to Princess Tessy". RTL.lu. Archived from the original on 29 October 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2017.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  27. "Shongolulu – Saving Wildlife Through Fashion". 19 September 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  28. "Tessy De Luxembourg - Shongolulu Ambassador for Saving Wildlife". Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  29. "Our Story". Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  30. Order of Lafayette
  31. Order of Lafayette
  32. "Tessy Antony-de Nassau bestowed with Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Drum of Rwanda". Royal Central. 25 October 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  33. Paris College of Art (PCA)
  34. Luxembourg Leadership Academy's Leader of the Year Award
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