Former Princess Tessy Antony recalls how she fought off her would-be rapist
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tessy Antony, the former princess of Luxembourg, said she once had to fight back against a fellow military officer who attempted to sexually assault her.
The 34-year-old, who joined the Luxembourg Army at 18, recalled the shocking incident on Paola Diana’s podcast, titled “Unleashed: The Game Changers,” on Tuesday.
“Another [member of the] military tried so sexually assault me, so I needed to defend myself,” said Antony after she was asked if she ever feared for her life during her time in the military.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to Antony, the encounter happened while she was on a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, where she was the only woman present.
“I gave him a clap on his nose, and it was very painful for him,” she said. Antony said the experience “was not a big deal” because she felt properly trained to defend herself against such aggression.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“But for me, it was not a big deal because I knew what to do,” she explained. “I had the education.”
Antony said the experience inspired her to speak up about sexual violence.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“But that’s why I speak up about it now, sexual violence in conflict, which is often a weapon of war, but also practiced between the military: man with man, man with woman, women towards men as well,” she said. “And I think that’s a stereotype we need to talk more [about].”
“I want to give confidence to all of these other women that experience that,” she continued. “To speak up, defend themselves. Because I think we’re still a long way from that. It’s a shameful topic, isn’t it? When you’re being humiliated like that, to talk about it. I try with my story… to give confidence to other women to be the woman they want to be.”
Antony can no longer use her royal title following her divorce from Prince Louis. The couple was together from 2006 until 2017. They share sons Prince Gabriel and Prince Noah.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tessy Antony, Princess of Luxembourg (right), spoke out in defense of Meghan Markle. (AP/Getty)
In February 2019, Antony, now a philanthropist and public speaker, tweeted out support for Meghan Markle by responding to an op-ed piece posted by Royal Central, which defended the Duchess of Sussex against online criticism.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Markle, a former American actress, officially became a member of the British royal family when she married Prince Harry in May 2018. They welcomed a son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, in May 2019.
“Absolutely! No one deserves that. One should never assume. Either you know or be [quiet],” Antony tweeted. “It’s not nice to talk badly about someone else just because one can, as he or she takes advantage of the anonymity of the web.”
“Stay Kind!!! it’s the new cool! She does not deserve that,” Antony added.