Prince Harry

New Delhi, March 29: The mystery over the death of a British national in a Delhi hotel on February 27 has acquired a royal connection.

Eighteen-year-old Louis Oppenheim, who attended Eton College and died allegedly of a drug overdose in India, is a friend of Prince Harry?s, according to the London tabloid, The Mail on Sunday.

At the time of his death, Louis, the son of a wealthy Swiss investment banker, was travelling in India with another school friend, William Lloyd George, the great great grandson of former British Prime Minister David Lloyd George. His funeral in London was a quiet family affair.

A year junior to Prince Harry at Eton, the Mail quoted friends describing Louis as a rebel, though popular, and ?part of the counter culture at school?. A spokesman for the Prince told the Mail he had been informed about Louis?s death but stated that the two were not close.

According to the Mail, the boys were on vacation and had spent a few days in Goa where they met their girlfriends, Lucie Hirst and Harriet Phillip.

The vacation took a tragic turn at Hotel Blue Diamond in Connaught Place where they were staying for ?10 a night. A day of consuming rum and beer, along with Ecstasy, pot and Viagra, ended disastrously with Lucie and Harriet being woken up by the hotel staff at 5.30 am.

When the girls found Louis and William unconscious on the terrace, Delhi police were called in and the two rushed to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital.

Louis was declared brought dead. William recovered in three days and left for London.

According to Lucie?s statement to the police: ?We found the boys sitting on chairs at a table with their head tilted back and Louis had blood coming out of his nose. Both had a pulse but were finding it difficult to breathe.?

Though an autopsy was conducted on Louis on March 1, the police said the chemical analysis report had not come in. They had been unaware of the boys? identity till the Mail reporter spoke to them about a fortnight ago.

However, with traces of around 30 joints of drugs and a four-tablet pack of Viagra ?- of which one had been taken ? found in their room, a drug overdose was not ruled out. Though a conclusive medical report is not ready, the police did not pursue investigations as they ruled out foul play.

Louis?s parents, however, deny their son was into drugs. While his mother said his toxicology reports were clear, William?s grandmother told the Mail the boys may have made a ?foolish mistake.?