Man detained after Monaco royal found dead aged 29

He was found dead on Sunday

Antoine de Massy, cousin of Prince Albert of Monaco, was found dead in a park in Monaco on Sunday.

The royal was found after his family told police that he hadn’t shown up that day at a family lunch.

It has now been reported that a man was detained on Monday for questioning.

Allegedly the arrested man is from Ukraine.

What the prosecutor said following the arrest

Speaking to the Monaco Matin newspaper, Monaco prosecutor Stéphane Thibault said that the man is “at this stage merely a suspect/witness to events whose legal qualification remains to be determined, with the theory of an accident not being ruled out”.

Hello! Magazine reported that a post-mortem examination is ongoing into the cause of death.

For the royals in Monaco it is sad news, as Prince Albert is believed to have been fond of his second cousin, Antoine.

He was the son of Christian de Massy, a sportsman, and Cécile Gelabale, Prince Rainer's sister.

The royal palace released a statement on behalf of Prince Albert this week.

“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. A keen tennis player, he was part of a family history closely linked to the sport in the Principality”, the statement read.

“Their Highnesses share in the grief of his family and loved ones and offer them their sincere condolences at this painful time”, the statement continued.

Authorities in Monaco are expected to provide more updates, while the investigation is ongoing.