Spanish police find body of former Qatar princess in Marbella home

Malaga/Paris, May 31 (EFE).- The former princess of Qatar Kasia Gallanio has been found dead in her house in the Spanish city of Marbella, sources close to the investigation told Efe on Tuesday.

Spanish police found the body of the 46-year-old on Sunday after one of the princess’ daughters, who lives in Pais, alerted the police she hadn’t heard from her mother in several days.

Police found her body in bed, according to the sources. No signs of violence were reported.

Gallanio, born in the United States and of Polish origin, was the former wife of Abdelaziz bin Khalifa Al-Thani’s, the uncle of the Qatari emir.

Gallanio and Al-Thani’s divorce in 2012 turned into a legal battle for the custody of their three daughters in a case that dragged on for years.

In May last year, a French court dismissed claims that the former princess was prone to nervous breakdowns.

The judge said the case would be postponed until Gallanio would undergo a psychological evaluation.

In April this year, one of the couple’s daughters claimed her father had sexually abused her from age 9 to 15, a French newspaper reported.

The allegations led to a sexual assault investigation into Al-Thani.

Gallanio’s lawyer said the former princess was “devastated” by this and that she “died of grief.” EFE

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