Fashion designer Khalid Al Qasimi who also happens to be the son of the Emir of Sharjah passed away suddenly at the age of 39. The crown prince was also famous for his fashion brand, the collections of which he had showcased at esteemed fashion events like the London and Paris Fashion weeks. He was found dead in a Knightsbridge penthouse. Qasimi was UAE ruler Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi's second son.
Qasimi had studied architecture and fashion design at Central Saint Martins in London and also had a brother, Sheikh Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi who passed away in 1999 due to a drug overdose. After the crown prince's death, three days of mourning have been announced in the United Arab emirate. Many known names took to their social media handles to offer their condolences to the Ruler.
Photographer Mariano Vivanco put up a photo of the prince and captioned the picture, "Will always be my angel, RIP". The UK’s ambassador to the UAE, Patrick Moody also offered his condolences in a tweet and wrote, "Our deepest condolences to His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah and his family on the tragic news of the passing of their son Sheikh Khalid Bin Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi."
As of now, no official news has been released about the prince's untimely death. However, a source spoke about the prince's death to a leading media portal and said, “It is suspected that Sheik Khalid may have died suddenly as a result of taking drugs. As well as the police inquiry, an urgent internal probe has been ordered and staff have been ordered to keep quiet.”
Qasimi's father put up a post on Instagram about the death and wrote, “The arrival of the body of the deceased and prayers upon him will be announced.” Another statement on the Qasimi website read, “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. His goal was to create ‘a world of beautifully crafted products infused with cultural, social and political undertones to inform and inspire’. The design world has lost a great philosopher and artist.”
