A Saudi prince died in a London hotel room on November 25 after consuming a lethal combination of drugs and alcohol, an inquest concluded Thursday. Prince Abdullah bin Fahad bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Jalawi al Saud, 29, had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.222%, nearly three times the United Kingdom's legal limit of 0.08%. He also had gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and Xanax in his system.
The royal was discovered by a maid in the bathroom of his hotel room at the Marriott Hotel in Kensington. Paramedics were unable to revive him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Previously, al Saud had undergone treatment for addiction. Three months before his death, he was admitted to the Priory Clinic in Roehampton, where he detoxed from alcohol, benzodiazepines, and pregabalin. A consultant psychiatrist stated that he had engaged well with the treatment and was discharged without any immediate concerns for his safety. Following his stay at the Priory, he also received treatment at the Rainford Hall clinic in St. Helens, Merseyside, and reportedly left that facility on October 14.
A post-mortem examination determined that the prince died from cardiac arrest and had no pre-existing acute or chronic illnesses. British authorities believe his death was not self-inflicted. The Saudi Royal Court announced his passing, requesting prayers for him and expressing wishes for mercy and forgiveness.