Former Qatar princess found dead at home in southern Spain

Madrid: Spanish police have found a 46-year-old former princess of Qatar dead in her bed at home in southern Spain, authorities said Wednesday.

Kasia Gallanio was found dead Sunday morning in her apartment in Marbella, a Malaga province a police spokeswoman said.

Police went to the house after receiving a call from one of Gallanio’s daughters in France, who said her mother had not been returning calls, the spokeswoman said.

Police entered the house with the help of a janitor at the apartment complex and found Gallanio in bed, with no signs of violence, according to the spokeswoman who spoke on condition of anonymity, in line with her department’s rules.

She said Gallanio had US nationality and was 46. An autopsy is due to ascertain the cause of death.

Gallanio was married to Abdelaziz bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the 73-year-old uncle of the Emir of Qatar, according to French newspaper Le Parisien.

They had three children and fought a long custody battle over them. Gallanio accused her former husband of sexual assault against one of the children. He denied the allegation.

The children live with their father in Paris, according to Le Parisien.