A Saudi prince died in a London hotel room from a potentially lethal cocktail of alcohol and drugs, an inquest has revealed. Prince Abdullah bin Fahad bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Jalawi al Saud, 29, was discovered deceased on November 25 last year in his room at the Marriott Hotel in Kensington.
An assistant coroner concluded his death was a tragic misadventure, stating there was no indication he intended to end his own life. The prince had checked into the hotel on November 19 for a planned week-long stay.
He was found fully clothed on the bathroom floor by a cleaner on November 20. Despite efforts by hotel security and paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Toxicology reports indicated a blood alcohol level of 222mg per 100ml, nearly three times England's legal drink-drive limit. He also had potentially fatal levels of Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in his system, along with traces of cannabis and alprazolam (Xanax) at recreational doses, and other anti-anxiety medications at therapeutic levels.
The inquest heard that Prince Abdullah had struggled with alcohol misuse and Xanax. In August of the previous year, he underwent detoxification for alcohol, benzodiazepines, and pregabalin at the Priory Clinic in Roehampton. A consultant psychiatrist noted he had engaged well with treatment and was discharged without concerns for suicide.
Following his stay at the Priory, he continued treatment at the Rainford Hall clinic before being discharged on October 14. A post-mortem examination found no underlying acute or chronic illnesses, attributing his death to the combined effects of multiple drugs and alcohol.
CCTV footage showed no evidence of anyone else entering his room before his death, and no note was found. The coroner offered sincere condolences to the prince's family.