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Prince Albert leads masked royal mourners at cousin's funeral

Baroness Elizabeth-Ann de Massy died aged 73

royal funeral
Jenni McKnight
US Lifestyle Editor
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Prince Albert of Monaco lead masked royal mourners on Wednesday as they paid their last respects to his cousin, Baroness Elizabeth-Ann de Massy, who died aged 73 on 10 June.

MORE: Prince Albert of Monaco pictured for the first time since recovering from coronavirus

prince albert cousin funeral© Photo: Getty Images

Prince Albert of Monaco lead masked mourners at his cousin's funeral

Albert and his wife, Princess Charlene, joined fellow mourners by wearing black masks at the funeral in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The couple, who were also accompanied by Albert's sisters Princess Caroline and Princess Stephanie, as well as Elizabeth-Ann's children Melanie Antoinette de Massy and Jean- Leonard Taubert de Massy, walked side-by-side as they led the funeral procession outside the Cathedral of Monaco.

royal funeral© Photo: Getty Images

Elisabeth-Ann de Massy died aged 73

In a statement released on its Facebook page, the Palace of Monaco confirmed that Elisabeth, who was the first cousin of Prince Albert II, passed away at the Princess Grace Hospital Centre in Monaco last Wednesday.

Her cause of death has not been revealed, and it is unclear if she was ill prior to her passing.

prince albert wife cousin funeral

Prince Albert was accompanied by his wife Princess Charlene

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Elisabeth-Ann de Massy was born on 13 January 1973 to Princess Antoinette (the late Prince Rainier III's older sister), and international tennis champion Alexandre-Athenase Noghès. She was married twice - firstly, to Baron Bernard Alexandre Taubert-Natta, with whom she shared son Jean-Léonard. Her second husband was choreographer Nicolai Vladimir Costello, with whom she had daughter, Mélanie-Antoinette.

She was renowned for her charity work and was president of the Monegasque Tennis Federation, as well as the Monte-Carlo Country Club. Elisabeth was often joined by her daughter Mélanie-Antoinette and cousin Prince Albert at tennis tournaments, including the Monte-Carlo ATP Masters Series.

She was also godmother to Prince Albert's younger sister, Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, and Prince Albert is godfather to Elisabeth's son Jean-Léonard.

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