Born in Prague, Michael Žantovský is a diplomat, politician, writer, and translator.

Mr. Žantovský attended the Charles University in Prague and the McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. After working at a psychiatric research institute, he then worked as a freelance translator, lyricist and publicist, eventually serving as the Prague correspondent for Reuters from 1988 to 1989.

During the Velvet Revolution in 1989, Mr. Žantovský was among the founding members of the Civic Forum, the umbrella reform movement working from the basement of the Laterna Magika theater in Prague to mount opposition to the Communist regime and coordinate its overthrow. From 1990, he was spokesman and press secretary for President Václav Havel, before being appointed ambassador to the United States in 1992. In 1996 he was elected to the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, and served as chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Security. He then served as ambassador to Israel from 2003 until 2009, and then as ambassador to the United Kingdom until 2015.

He has served as president of the Aspen Institute in Prague since 2012, and as executive director of the Václav Havel Library in Prague since 2015. He has translated numerous works of fiction, drama and poetry as well as several works of nonfiction. He has also authored and published many papers and articles relating to current affairs, foreign policy and literature. His biography of long-time friend and former president Václav Havel, “Havel: A Life,” was published in English, Czech and several other languages in 2014.