A Crown Prince from the United Arab Emirates has died in London at the age of 39. Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi was the son of the ruler of the emirate of Sharjah, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi. He was also a successful fashion designer who showcased the collection for his eponymous label, Qasimi, at the London fashion week men's showcase just three weeks ago. A three-day period of mourning at been decreed in the UAE, with flags ordered to fly at half-mast. In an Instagram post, his father spoke of his unimaginable loss, but said his son was now "in the care of God".
© Photo: Getty ImagesKhalid Al Qasimi pictured at his fashion show in June
Details surrounding the cause of death have not been disclosed, with a statement from his fashion label stating only that he has died "unexpectedly". London's Metropolitan Police, meanwhile, told the BBC they had received a report of "a sudden death at a residential property in Knightsbridge".
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A UAE's presidential affairs ministry released a statement that reads: "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."
The news comes 20 years after the death of the crown prince's older brother, Sheikh Mohammed bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, who died in 1999 from a drug overdose at the age of 24 at the family's home in East Grinstead.
