Ahmet Gurhan Kartal
03 July 2019•Update: 03 July 2019
LONDON
The son of the crown prince of the UAE has been found dead in his U.K. home, according to local reports.
Khalid Al Qasimi, who founded a fashion brand and exhibited collections in London and Paris, was hailed as a “great philosopher” and “an artist” in a statement on his brand’s Instagram account.
The 39-year-old son of the emir of Sharjah was found lifeless in his bathroom in his Sussex home, and London police said his death is being treated as unexplained.
Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, his father, wrote on social media that Khalid is “in the care of God.”
"Khalid was praised for his tenacious yet sensitive exploration of social-political issues, particularly pertaining to the Middle East and its sometimes strained relationship with the West, a subject very close to his heart and upbringing,” said the Instagram statement.
"His goal was to create 'a world of beautifully crafted products infused with cultural, social and political undertones to inform and inspire',” it added.
The UAE announced three days of mourning over Al Qasimi’s death.
“President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan mourns with grief and sorrow, the death of Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the son of the ruler of Sharjah, praying to Allah the Almighty to rest his soul in peace, and grant his family patience and solace,” a UAE Presidential Affairs Ministry statement said.
His death comes 20 years after his older brother, Sheikh Mohammed bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, died of a drug overdose at age 24 at the family’s home in East Grinstead, West Sussex.
