Antoine de Massy, Cousin of Prince Albert II, Found Dead in Monaco at 29
Authorities have launched an investigation and detained one person following the sudden death of the young member of Monaco's princely family.
Monaco is in mourning following the tragic death of Antoine de Massy, a 29-year-old member of the principality's princely family and a cousin of Prince Albert II. He was found dead on the night of Sunday, October 25, in a garden area within the principality. Local authorities have opened an active investigation to determine the exact circumstances surrounding his passing, and one individual was taken into police custody the following morning.
The sequence of events began when family members grew worried after he failed to show up for a Sunday midday family lunch. Concerned by his absence, relatives raised the alarm with Monaco's Public Security department. Hours later, search efforts led authorities to discover his lifeless body near Villa Sauber, a prominent cultural landmark in the territory. Reports from local outlets indicate the body was found in a garden situated below the Boulevard du Larvotto.
Monaco Prosecutor General Stéphane Thibault confirmed the discovery and explained that investigators reviewed security camera footage to trace his final movements. This footage captured an individual near the scene, prompting authorities to shift the procedural framework. "We then had to modify the procedural framework in order to detain this person, place them in police custody and try to clarify the circumstances of the death," the prosecutor stated.
At this stage, officials have not clarified whether the detained individual is officially a suspect or merely a witness brought in to assist investigators. The exact cause of death remains undisclosed. Prosecutor Thibault emphasized that investigators are keeping an open mind, noting that "the thesis of an accident" has not been ruled out and that the precise legal qualification of the incident is still under review.
According to reports from informed sources, de Massy had been seen staggering as he departed from a nightclub on the Rock of Monaco during the early hours of Sunday morning. Authorities subsequently extended the police custody of the detained man by 24 hours as the investigation continues. Officials have not publicly verified reports regarding the identity or nationality of the individual held in custody.
The Prince's Palace formally announced the loss in a statement released on Monday. "Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlène were saddened to learn of the death of Antoine de Massy, aged 29, the grandson of Princess Antoinette, the elder sister of Prince Rainier III," the palace expressed, adding that they share deeply in the grief of his loved ones.
Antoine de Massy was the son of Baron Christian de Massy and Cécile Gelabale, making him a first cousin once removed to Prince Albert II. Beyond his royal lineage, he was deeply connected to the sporting history of Monaco. A passionate tennis player from a very early age, he was part of a family heavily tied to the Monte-Carlo Country Club and the Monegasque Tennis Federation, having trained intensively in Florida during his youth with aspirations of representing his home nation internationally.