The cousin of Prince Albert of Monaco was found dead after leaving a nightclub, while a 42-year-old Ukrainian man has been charged in connection with the royal relative’s death.
The body of Antoine De Massy was discovered on Sunday in a park on Boulevard du Larvotto, in Monaco’s upscale Larvotto district, after his family alerted authorities when they were unable to contact him.
De Massy, 29, was reportedly seen leaving a nightclub on Sunday evening, staggering and leaning on a man for support, according to Le Parisien.
According to an autopsy, de Massy died after “a fall from a height of 13 meters”, Monaco’s attorney general, Stéphane Thibault, told Agence France-Presse on Wednesday.
A Ukrainian national, residing in Monaco for 30 years, was arrested and charged on Wednesday with manslaughter and failure to assist a person in danger.
The suspect, who was not identified, denied these allegations during his police interrogation before appearing before an investigating judge, to whom he refused to answer, said Mr. Thibault. He was then taken into custody.
The charges do not allege that de Massy was intentionally killed and the suspect is presumed innocent.
Authorities are investigating the circumstances of de Massy’s death to establish “the precise sequence of events that led to (his) downfall,” Thibault said.
A memorial has since appeared near the site of his death, with flowers, candles, a Monaco flag and tennis balls in tribute to Massy’s passion for the sport.
De Massy was the son of Baron Christian de Massy, first cousin of Prince Albert, and Cécile Gelabale. Her grandmother, Princess Antoinette, was the older sister of Prince Rainier III and the aunt of Prince Albert.
The prince, 68, and his wife, Princess Charlene, 48, confirmed the family drama in a press release published Monday by the Prince’s Palace.
“Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene learned with sadness of the death of Antoine de Massy, aged 29, grandson of Princess Antoinette, older sister of Prince Rainier III,” we read in the press release.
“A tennis enthusiast, he is part of a family history closely linked to sport in the Principality. Their Highnesses share the grief of his family and loved ones and offer them their sincere condolences in this painful period,” adds the text.
De Massy followed in the footsteps of his paternal grandfather, Alexandre-Athenase Noghes, an international tennis player, and had hoped to represent Monaco at the Olympics.
Prince Albert has faced his share of controversies over the years, including a paternity scandal involving two children born outside of his marriage and allegations of cheating.
Albert also came under scrutiny following leaked financial documents from former palace accountant Claude Palmero that detailed lavish spending, secret payments and alleged surveillance within the royal household.
Gn world
