Monaco Detains a Man Over Death of Prince Albert's Cousin

Monaco police have detained a man for questioning over the death of Antoine de Massy, who was 29. Hello magazine reports that the man was taken into custody on Monday morning.

De Massy was the grandson of Princess Antoinette, the elder sister of the late Prince Rainier III. That made him a first cousin once removed of Prince Albert II, meaning he was one generation apart from the ruling prince in the family tree.

His body was found on Sunday evening in a small park on Boulevard du Larvotto, behind Villa Sauber near the waterfront, according to Reuters. Larvotto is a seafront district of Monaco. His family contacted police after he failed to turn up for a family lunch on Sunday.

Local media have reported that the detained man is Ukrainian. They also reported that De Massy had been seen with him leaving a nightclub in the early hours of the morning. These accounts have not been confirmed by police.

Stéphane Thibault, the prosecutor leading the case, said the man is at this stage a suspect and a witness. He said the theory of an accident has not been ruled out. A prosecutor is the official who directs a criminal inquiry and decides how it proceeds.

A post-mortem examination, the medical investigation that establishes how a person died, is under way. The cause of death has not yet been confirmed.

Prince Albert II and Princess Charlène announced the death on Monday in a statement that expressed sadness at the loss. The palace has not commented further on the circumstances.

The investigation is continuing, and the detained man has not been formally charged with any offence.