Father of Prince Albert II’s cousin, found dead in a park, says the ‘heartbreak is too great’

The grieving father of Antoine de Massy, whose body was found in a Monaco park late last month, has spoken of his pain at losing his only son.

de Massy, 29, was a cousin of Monaco’s ruler Prince Albert II who, along with his wife Princess Charlene, is expected to attend his funeral service later today in the principality.

“We are saddened to learn of the death of Antoine de Massy,” Prince Albert and Princess Charlene said in a statement last week.

“We join the family in their grief.” 

Speaking to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, de Massy’s father described his son as “a good boy”.

“My son Antoine was my life. He was so wonderful, the heartbreak is too great,” Baron Christian de Massy said.

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“Every day for 29 years, [we were] always together. I woke him up, his stretching exercises awaited him, then I made him breakfast: him, me, and our little dog, Tounin.

“He was a good boy, he just wanted to be happy.”

A 42-year-old Ukrainian national, who has lived in Monaco for 30 years, was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter and failure to assist a person in danger, last week.

He was arrested on October 26 after he was seen with de Massy on security vision the night before.

Prosecutor Stéphane Thibault told media that “the accident hypothesis cannot be ruled out”, adding “a judicial inquiry has been opened and entrusted to an investigating judge to continue the investigation”.

de Massy’s body was discovered in a small park on the Boulevard du Larvotto near the waterfront behind the Villa Sauber, about four kilometres from the Prince’s Palace.

He is believed to have fallen 13 metres.

de Massy’s family alerted police after he ailed to appear at a family lunch on Sunday October 25.

Baron de Massy said his son did not know the man who has since been arrested and charged.

de Massy was born in Monaco but moved to Miami with his father when he was eight to further his talent and passion for tennis. He became a semi-professional player and later attended the University of Miami, but a wrist injury forced his early retirement. He had recently launched an app and his project green-lit before his death.

Baron de Massy, an adventurer who is known for his epic solo long-distance motorcycling adventures around the world, is first cousin to Monaco’s Prince Albert II.

His late mother, Princess Antoinette, was the elder sister Albert’s father and former ruler of Monaco, Prince Rainier III.

Baron de Massy’s grandfather was Antony Noghes, the founder of the Monaco Grand Prix and the Monte Carlo Rally.

On Tuesday evening, a vigil for his son was held inside the chapel of the Prince’s Palace.

de Massy’s funeral will be held today (Wednesday November 4) at Monaco’s Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate.

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene, and other members of the House of Grimaldi, are expected to attend the service.

Last week Albert and Charlene paid tribute to de Massy and described him as “a passionate tennis player”, adding that “he was part of a family history closely tied to this sport in the principality”.