The body of Antoine de Massy, a 29-year-old member of Monaco's princely family, has been found in the principality, and one person has been detained in connection with the death, according to Corriere della Sera. The Monaco palace confirmed the death, and Prince Albert II and Princess Charlène issued condolences to the family.
Corriere della Sera reports that the body was discovered in a garden close to Villa Sauber, behind the Larvotto seafront. The newspaper says relatives became concerned when he failed to appear for a family lunch appointment and alerted Monaco's police.
Why it matters
The death touches the inner circle of Monaco's ruling house. Antoine de Massy was a grandson of Princess Antoinette, the late sister of Prince Ranieri III, which places him among the wider Grimaldi relatives rather than the immediate line of succession. The palace's public statement, and the reported detention of a person in the case, give the episode an official weight beyond a private family tragedy.
The de Massy name is also closely tied to tennis in the principality. Corriere della Sera describes Antoine as a gifted player from a young age who went on to compete as a professional. His relatives have long been associated with the sport's institutions in Monaco: Baroness Elizabeth-Anne de Massy led the Monegasque tennis federation and the Monte-Carlo Country Club for many years, and since her death those roles have passed to her daughter, Melanie-Antoinette de Massy.
What the palace said
The statement from the prince's palace, as carried by Corriere della Sera, expressed the sorrow of Albert II and Charlène at the loss of Antoine de Massy, describing him as a nephew of Princess Antoinette. The couple, the statement said, shared in the family's grief and offered their sincere condolences.
Corriere della Sera reports that Antoine was the son of Baron Christian de Massy and Cécile Gelabale. He is survived by a brother, Brice Souleyman Gelabale de Massy, and a half-sister, Leticia de Massy, from an earlier relationship of his father.
The search and the discovery
According to the newspaper's account, the family raised the alarm after Antoine did not turn up for a lunch gathering. Police then carried out investigations, and his body was subsequently located in the garden near Villa Sauber, on the stretch behind the Larvotto seafront.
Corriere della Sera states that a person has been held in custody in connection with the case. The newspaper does not identify that individual, and no further details on the circumstances of the death have been made public in its reporting.
Monaco's authorities have not released additional information beyond what the palace statement and the newspaper's account contain. Questions about the cause of death and the status of the detained person remain open.
What to watch: whether Monaco's judicial authorities issue a formal statement on the investigation and on the person being held.
