Monaco’s royal household has been left mourning after Prince Albert II’s cousin was found dead in a public garden under circumstances that remain unclear.
According to AFP, Antoine de Massy was discovered near Boulevard du Larvott on Sunday. He had reportedly been seen leaving a nightclub in the early hours, appearing unsteady on his feet.
The 29-year-old was reported missing after failing to appear at a family lunch, Monaco Matin said. His body was found soon afterwards.
Police arrested a Ukrainian national on Monday after CCTV footage showed him in the vicinity where de Massy was later found.
Monaco’s Public Prosecutor’s Office said the arrested man’s connection to the death had not been established. Investigators are examining every possibility, including an accident, as they work to determine what happened.
De Massy was the grandson of Princess Antoinette, Prince Albert’s aunt, making him the sovereign’s first cousin once removed.
The Prince’s Palace confirmed his death on Monday in a statement: ‘Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlène were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Antoine de Massy, grandson of Princess Antoinette, the elder sister of Prince Rainier III,’ it said.
‘A passionate tennis player, he continued a family tradition with strong ties to the sport in the Principality.’
Antoine de Massy was found dead on Sunday in a public garden in Monaco
He was Prince Albert II’s first cousin once removed
Antoine de Massy (top right) pictured alongside members of Monaco’s royal family
‘Their Highnesses extend their heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones during this painful period.’
His father, Baron Christian de Massy, has long been portrayed as the family’s rebellious figure. All four of his marriages ended in divorce, and Prince Rainier III once sent him to Argentina after deciding his behaviour was creating too much turmoil in Monaco.
De Massy pursued tennis professionally and spent part of his youth in Florida, where he trained at the renowned Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy while aiming for a place at the Olympic Games.
Speaking to Vogue Italia in 2012, he described his ambition as becoming ‘number one in the world’, while acknowledging that reaching the top 20 would also be a major achievement.
More recently, he co-founded Instant Tech, a technology company designed to help local businesses, merchants and customers arrange reservations and payments instantly.
Despite his connection to Monaco’s ruling family, Bild reported that he generally avoided the spotlight and kept a low profile in Monte Carlo’s social circles.
His last known public appearance was at Monaco’s traditional Te Deum service for National Day in November 2025.
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The death follows a bombing in Monaco earlier this summer that injured Ukrainian businessman Vadym Yermolaiev, who is reported to have links to Russia.
Prince Albert of Monaco and Princess Charlene said they were ‘saddened’ by Antoine de Massy’s death
A woman and a child who were with him were also injured.
Days after the attack, a woman suspected of trying to kill the businessman was found dead in Ukraine with gunshot wounds to her head, according to Ukraine’s Security Service.
A Ukrainian military intelligence officer confessed to killing the bombing suspect, Anastasiia Berezovska, with the help of a former law enforcement officer, the security service, known as the SBU.
The military intelligence officer said he acted on his own and without the knowledge of his superiors, the SBU said.
Both men were detained on suspicion of murdering Berezovska, a Ukrainian national whose last known residence was in Germany, according to authorities.
They also ‘may have been involved in planning’ last week’s bombing, Monaco prosecutor Stéphane Thibault said at the time.
The attack shocked Monaco, a coastal playground for the rich and famous known for its tax-friendly incentives, royal family and Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Ukraine is believed to have carried out attacks and targeted killings of Russian figures in the course of the war; however, those attacks have largely been confined to Ukrainian or Russian territory.
It comes after a bombing attack rocked Monaco this summer, injuring Ukrainian business tycoon Vadym Yermolaiev (file image)
One possibility is that the bombing in Monaco and Berezovska’s killing are connected to the Yermolaiev family’s business dealings, said political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko.
Fesenko noted that at the end of April, Yermolaiev’s son, Artur, settled charges brought against him in Estonia related to an alleged phone scam that took in more than 100 million euros from citizens in multiple European countries between 2019 and 2022, according to local media reports.
As part of the deal, the younger Yermolaiev paid an 8.5 million euro fine.
Monaco’s head of state, Prince Albert II, described the bombing as ‘an odious act.’
Yermolaiev built his fortune through the Alef Group, a diversified business that includes commercial real estate, manufacturing and agriculture.
Sanctioned by Ukraine in 2023 for his ties to Russia, Yermolaiev has said he renounced his Ukrainian citizenship nearly a decade ago.
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