The cause of a young Saudi prince’s death has been uncovered in a shocking revelation after he was found dead last year at a £600-a-night hotel room in Kensington, London
A Saudi prince who was found dead in a lavish Kensington hotel room was almost three times over the drink-drive limit and had “fatal levels” of the party drug GHP in his system, an inquest heard.
Abdullah bin Fahad bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Jalawi al Saud was found dead in his £600-a-night Marriott hotel room in Kensington on the 25 November last year.
A cleaner found the prince, 29, lying in the bathroom of his locked fifth-floor room fully clothed. Hotel security and ambulance were called but were unable to resuscitate him. He was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
An inquest at Inner West London Coroners Court ruled out any suspicion of third-party involvement in Abdullah’s death, as the CCTV proved he was alone the night before his death, as he could be seen going outside to smoke a cigarette.
The royal had been admitted to the infamous Priory Clinic in August last year, months before the overdose, where stays can cost as much as £35,000 per week. It was here the Prince underwent a detox from alcohol, benzodiazepines and the anti-anxiety drug pregabalin.
According to consultant psychiatrist Dr Victoria Chamorri, Abdullah had ”engaged well” and the detox had ”proceeded without physical side effects”. She went on to say ‘’he was supportive and kind to his peers, making friends’’.
She added: “He was assessed as having symptoms of low mood and anxiety on admission. When he was discharged he was considered not to be at risk of suicide’’.
Assistant coroner Jean Harkin said she did not believe he had intended to take his life, noting that reports from both recovery facilities said there had been no concerns, he never mentioned killing himself and left no suicide note.
He was discharged from the Priory with a friend but later on didn’t attend scheduled Zoom appointments. “Nevertheless there was no concern for him. He engaged well and completed his treatment.”
The royal went on to go to another treatment at the £7,000-a-week Rainford Hall clinic in St Helen’s, Merseyside. It was there he was diagnosed with an upper respiratory tract infection. Abdullah left fully recovered on October 14.
Recent toxicology reports have also unveiled that he had a blood ethanol concentration of 222mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, which is far beyond the driving limit of 80mg.
The amount the Prince consumed was almost three times over the limit and within the range that could cause a coma.
The coroner’s report, released yesterday on July 22, 2026, confirmed that Prince Abdullah had fatal levels of the party drug gamma hydroxybutyrate, commonly referred to as GHB, alongside remnants of cannabis and various other anti-anxiety medications including alprazolam (Xanax) in recreational doses.
The misuse of these drugs, combined with alcohol inevitably resulted in the prince suffering a cardiac arrest.
Mrs Harkin stated verdict of death by misadventure with the cause of death as multi-drug ingestion. She stated: “I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the family of Abdullah.”
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