Princess Beatrice’s ex-boyfriend Paolo Liuzzo found dead in Miami hotel room

Police are investigating the death of Princess Beatrice’s former boyfriend, who once faced court in Australia over a string of offences.

Princess Beatrice’s ex-boyfriend Paolo Liuzzo has been found dead from a suspected overdose in a Miami hotel room.

The New York-born self-described playboy, who inherited a fortune from his Italian tycoon father, had struggled with gambling as well as drugs over the years and once claimed he had racked up debts with loan sharks, The Sun reports.

Beatrice, the daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, started dating Liuzzo when she was aged 17 in 2005 but the pair separated years ago after his previous criminal charges came to light.

Paolo Liuzzo leaves the Southport watchhouse on the Gold Coast after his arrest in 2009. Picture: AAP

The New York-born Liuzzo once holidayed with Princess Beatrice and her family. Picture: AFP

Officer Michael Vega, of the Miami Police Department, told The Sun police attended a room at the citizenM Miami Worldcenter hotel on February 7.

The cause of death has not officially been reported, but Officer Vega said: “It was investigated as an overdose death. The investigation is open and ongoing.”

In September 2009 Liuzzo was arrested on Queensland’s Gold Coast after crashing his Audi hire car into traffic lights.

Paolo Liuzzo outside Southport Court on the Gold Coast in 2009.

The American crashed his black Audi rental car while visiting Australia. Picture: Channel Nine

Princess Beatrice with sister Princess Eugenie and father Prince Andrew. Picture: Getty Images

He failed to pay for accommodation and restaurant bills and pleaded guilty to motoring offences, fraud and cocaine possession.

No conviction was recorded but the magistrate blasted the then 27-year-old for his “cavalier” attitude to the court.

Liuzzo and Beatrice, the niece of King Charles, met through mutual friends in The Hamptons and began dating in July 2005 before splitting in May 2006 when reports emerged that he had previously been charged with the manslaughter of a fellow student at the College of the Holy Cross.

In 2007 he embarrassed the royal family by claiming marijuana was smoked in the presence of Beatrice, her sister Eugenie and their mother, Sarah Ferguson, while they were on holiday in Jamaica.

Originally published as Princess Beatrice’s ex-boyfriend Paolo Liuzzo found dead in Miami hotel room