Saudi prince died of drugs and alcohol overdose: UK coroner

A UK coroner has concluded that Saudi Prince Abdullah bin Fahad bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Jalawi Al Saud, who was found dead in a London hotel in November 2025, died after consuming a fatal combination of alcohol, recreational drugs, and prescription medication. The inquest ruled that his death was accidental, with no evidence of suicide or foul play.

The 29-year-old prince was discovered unresponsive in his room at the Marriott Hotel in Kensington on November 25, 2025, after suffering a cardiac arrest triggered by multi-drug ingestion.

Cause of death

Assistant Coroner Jean Harkin, delivering her findings at the Inner West London Coroner's Court, recorded a verdict of death by misadventure, concluding that there was no indication the prince had intended to take his own life. The court found no evidence of a struggle or third-party involvement, while CCTV footage showed he had returned to his hotel room alone on the night before his death.

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According to evidence presented during the inquest, Prince Abdullah checked into the Kensington hotel on November 19 for what was expected to be a week-long stay. Surveillance footage captured him leaving the hotel briefly for a cigarette on the evening before his death before returning to his room alone.

The following day, a hotel housekeeper found him lying fully clothed on the bathroom floor. Emergency responders were called immediately, but paramedics were unable to revive him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post-mortem examination determined that he suffered a cardiac arrest caused by the combined effects of multiple substances.

Toxicology findings

Toxicology tests revealed the prince had a blood alcohol concentration of 222 mg per 100 ml, nearly three times England's legal drink-driving limit. Medical experts told the court that the alcohol level alone was high enough to induce a coma.

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Investigators also detected potentially fatal levels of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), a recreational drug commonly associated with parties, along with cannabis and therapeutic quantities of prescription medications, including Xanax and other anti-anxiety drugs.

Experts concluded that while each substance carried risks individually, their combined effects ultimately caused the fatal cardiac arrest.

History of addiction treatment

The inquest heard that Prince Abdullah had undergone treatment for substance dependency in the months leading up to his death.

He completed detoxification programmes at the Priory Clinic in London and later at Rainford Hall Clinic in Merseyside, where he received treatment for alcohol, benzodiazepine, and pregabalin dependence. He was discharged in October 2025 after successfully completing treatment and recovering from an upper respiratory infection.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Victoria Chamorro told the court that the prince had engaged well with therapy despite experiencing anxiety and low mood when admitted. Although he later missed several scheduled follow-up consultations conducted via Zoom, clinicians at both treatment centres said they found no signs of suicidal intent or self-harm risk at the time of his discharge.

No evidence of suicide or foul play

Coroner Harkin noted that investigators found no suicide note, no evidence that the prince had expressed thoughts of self-harm, and no indication that anyone else had been involved in his death.

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The Saudi Royal Court later confirmed Prince Abdullah's death in an official statement and announced that funeral prayers would be held at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh.

Prince Abdullah belonged to the Al Kabir cadet branch of the House of Saud and was a descendant of King Salman's great-great-grandfather.