The death of a 29-year-old member of Saudi Arabia’s royal family at a west London hotel was caused by a fatal combination of alcohol and drugs, an inquest has determined. Saudi royal Prince Abdullah bin Fahad bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Musaed bin Jalawi al Saud, aged 29, was discovered in his bathroom at the Marriott Hotel in Kensington on Nov. 25, 2025.
A post-mortem examination revealed that cardiac arrest triggered by multiple substances led to his death. Toxicology results showed his blood alcohol content measured 222mg per 100ml — almost three times England’s 80mg drink-drive threshold. Medical experts testified that such a concentration could induce coma on its own.
The prince’s system also held potentially lethal quantities of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), known widely as a “party drug.” Cannabis traces were found alongside recreational levels of alprazolam, marketed as Xanax, plus therapeutic doses of other anti-anxiety medications. Evidence presented to the court indicated he had been struggling with alcohol and Xanax use.
Treatment at Private Facilities
Before his death, the royal had undergone treatment at two exclusive British clinics. His first admission came in August 2025 at the Priory Clinic in Roehampton, southwest London, where weekly rates can climb to £35,000. Medical staff there worked to eliminate his dependencies on alcohol, benzodiazepines and pregabalin, an anti-anxiety medication.
Consultant psychiatrist Dr. Victoria Chamorro testified that his detox had “proceeded without physical side effects.” She characterized the prince as supportive and kind toward fellow patients in a written statement to the inquest.
Initial assessments noted symptoms of low mood and anxiety. Upon discharge, medical professionals did not consider him a suicide risk. He departed with a friend but missed subsequent Zoom follow-up sessions. Dr. Chamorro stated there had been no cause for alarm, noting he had completed his program successfully and responded favorably to care.
After leaving the Priory, the prince received further care at the Rainford Hall facility located in St. Helens, Merseyside, a private clinic charging £7,000 each week. Staff there treated him for an upper respiratory tract infection. He recovered and departed the facility on Oct. 14, 2025.
Final Days at Kensington Hotel
The prince had booked a one-week stay at the £600-per-night hotel starting November 19, 2025, occupying a fifth-floor room. Security cameras captured him outside the building the evening before his death, smoking a cigarette before re-entering alone. A cleaner found his fully clothed body on the bathroom floor the next day after accessing his locked room.
Hotel security personnel and emergency medical teams arrived on scene. Revival efforts proved unsuccessful, and he was declared dead at the location.
Misadventure Verdict Delivered
Assistant Coroner Jean Harkin at Inner West London Coroner’s Court delivered a ruling of death by misadventure, finding no indication the prince meant to take his own life. The post-mortem confirmed he had no acute or chronic medical conditions, determining that cardiac arrest stemmed directly from the drug and alcohol mixture.
Harkin pointed to reports from both treatment facilities showing no red flags, the absence of any suicidal statements to staff or acquaintances, and no note discovered in his hotel room. CCTV evidence clearly depicted him by himself the night preceding his death, eliminating any possibility of third-party involvement. The coroner extended condolences to his relatives.
The prince, a descendant of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s great-great-grandfather, was known as a private royal family member who quietly supported charitable endeavors. On Dec. 2, the Saudi Royal Court released an official announcement of his death, stating he had died outside the kingdom. A funeral prayer was held in Riyadh at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque, a venue typically used for prominent figures — with Saudi media noting substantial attendance by princes and government officials demonstrating family solidarity.