Abdullah bin Fahad bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Jalawi al Saud, a 29-year-old Saudi prince, was found dead in his £600-a-night Marriott hotel room in Kensington on 25 November last year. An inquest at Inner West London Coroners Court revealed he had fatal levels of the party drug gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in his system and a blood alcohol concentration nearly three times the drink-drive limit.
Circumstances of Death
A cleaner discovered the prince lying in the bathroom of his locked fifth-floor room, fully clothed. Hotel security and ambulance services were called but could not resuscitate him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. CCTV footage showed the prince was alone the night before his death, seen going outside to smoke a cigarette. The inquest ruled out any suspicion of third-party involvement.
Prior Treatment
Months before his death, in August last year, the prince had been admitted to the Priory Clinic, where stays can cost up to £35,000 per week. There, he underwent detox from alcohol, benzodiazepines, and the anti-anxiety drug pregabalin. Consultant psychiatrist Dr Victoria Chamorri stated that Abdullah had "engaged well" and the detox "proceeded without physical side effects." She added: "He was supportive and kind to his peers, making friends." He was discharged considered not at risk of suicide.
After leaving the Priory, the prince entered another treatment at the £7,000-a-week Rainford Hall clinic in St Helens, Merseyside, where he was diagnosed with an upper respiratory tract infection. He left fully recovered on October 14.
Toxicology and Verdict
Toxicology reports released on July 22, 2026, showed a blood ethanol concentration of 222mg per 100ml, far above the driving limit of 80mg and within a range that could cause a coma. The prince also had fatal levels of GHB, remnants of cannabis, and recreational doses of alprazolam (Xanax). The combination of these substances led to a cardiac arrest. Assistant coroner Jean Harkin recorded a verdict of death by misadventure, with the cause as multi-drug ingestion. She said: "I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the family of Abdullah."
