Antoine De Massy, a 29-year-old relative of Prince Albert II of Monaco, was found dead in a public park near the Larvotto district on Sunday. De Massy, a first cousin once removed of the reigning prince, had been reported missing earlier that day after failing to attend a family lunch. Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death, and a man has been taken into custody in connection with the case.
De Massy was the son of Baron Christian De Massy and Cécile Gelabale, and the grandson of Princess Antoinette, the Baroness of Massy. Princess Antoinette, sister of Prince Rainier III, was historically involved in a failed attempt to depose her brother and was subsequently exiled from the family. After Rainier III’s death, his son Albert II succeeded him as sovereign in 2005, and the descendants of Antoinette lost their place in the line of succession.
The Monaco attorney general stated that the man detained is considered a “suspect/witness” in an ongoing inquiry, with investigators yet to determine the exact nature of the events. Officials have not ruled out the possibility of an accident. Security footage reportedly captured the man walking with De Massy along Boulevard du Larvotto shortly before his death, leading to his arrest for questioning. His detention was extended by 24 hours on Monday evening. Local reports indicate the individual is a Ukrainian national residing in Monaco. According to Monaco-Matin, De Massy was last seen leaving a nightclub in the early hours of Sunday morning, appearing to be in an unsteady condition.
Prince Albert II and Princess Charlène expressed their condolences in a statement, highlighting De Massy’s passion for tennis—a sport deeply embedded in his family’s history within the principality. Antoine De Massy himself had spoken publicly about his tennis ambitions, having begun playing at the age of three under his father’s guidance. His grandfather, Alexandre-Athenase Noghès, was a former international Monegasque tennis champion, and his aunt, Elizabeth-Ann De Massy, served as head of the Monegasque Tennis Federation.
De Massy moved to Miami to pursue tennis training with hopes of representing Monaco at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. He later attended Florida International University, where he studied international relations before co-founding a start-up called Instant App in 2021, designed to support Monaco’s local businesses.
Princess Antoinette’s past political activity within Monaco, including her attempt to position her family in the line of succession, left lasting repercussions on her descendants’ status within the principality. Antoine De Massy’s death marks a tragic moment for Monaco’s extended royal family as investigations continue.