The singer had in fact been given a "save shot", a treatment normally administered for opiate overdoses
PRINCE was treated for a drug overdose six days before he died, sources revealed.
The singer, whose plane was forced to make an emergency landing on Friday, was found slumped in an elevator at his home before he died, cops revealed.
It was previously thought that he had been treated for a bout of flu in Moline, Illinois, despite the landing site being just 48 minutes from his Paisley Park mansion.
Multiple sources said the singer had in fact been given a "save shot", a treatment normally administered for opiate overdoses.
They added that Prince was told to remain at the hospital for 24 hours, as he "was not doing well".
Authorities are understood to be seeking Prince's medical records as they continue their investigations into the death.
Prince's representatives were unavailable for comment.
When Prince's entourage found that there was no private room available, the singer checked out just 3 hours after arriving at hospital, according to TMZ.
The music icon was just 57 when his shocking death rocked the world, as the Queen celebrated her 90th birthday.
Sheriff’s deputies from Carver County responded to a medical call at the singer's mansion at 9.43am US time.
A statement from the sheriff’s office said: “When deputies and medical personnel arrived, they found an unresponsive adult male in the elevator.
“First responders attempted to provide lifesaving CPR, but were unable to revive the victim.
“He was pronounced deceased at 10.07am. He has been identified as Prince Rogers Nelson.
“The Carver County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office, are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.”
The seven-time Grammy winner – responsible for generation-defining hits including Purple Rain, 1999 and When Doves Cry – died at his Paisley Park compound in Minnesota after claims he had suffered a bad case of flu for weeks.
But there were rumours of long-standing health problems, which had caused him to suffer breathing difficulties, with suggestions the former Jehovah Witness may have refused some treatment on religious grounds.
His spokeswoman said she was unaware of him suffering from any illness “further to the flu he had last week”.
Tonight his home was on "on lockdown" as police probed the death of the pop icon.
Staff were kept in his Paisley Park mansion while sheriffs and detectives work on statements.
Senior officials at the Minnesota police have vowed to conduct a "thorough investigation" as "eyes of the world are watching" to clarify a cause of death.
Insiders said they thought Prince had been suffering from pneumonia.
While publicly the Carver County Sheriff's Office said initially there are no signs of foul play, local detectives are taking comprehensive statements.
A source said: "The police have the house on lockdown. They are keeping the staff there and speaking to each and every person taking full statements.
"They are telling them they cannot leave.
"The forensic team are carefully examining the elevator, his bedroom and studio. The police are not planning on saying too much about their case yet, but nothing is being ruled in or out.
“Word has come from on high that as the eyes of the world are looking at this case, they musn't miss a beat.”
Prince appeared to predict his own shocking demise on Saturday night, telling fans at a concert: “Wait a few days before you waste any prayers.”
He made his last ever public appearance at his vast Paisley Park compound, where he was found dead, to combat rumours he was close to death after a mid-air emergency the day before say his plane forced to land.
There were rumours of a long-standing health problem, which had caused him to suffer breathing difficulties, with suggestions the former Jehovah Witness may have refused some treatment on religious grounds.
He turned up at an After Dark gig within his Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota just before midnight to make the pronouncement but did not sing.
One fan there on the night said: “He came out and he spoke to us about what happened and it was very cool, I felt like we were his family as there was only 200 of us there.
“He was very laid back. He said he was okay and said don’t waste your prayers on me right now, just wait a few days but there was something weird about it.”
Prince appeared upbeat after the appearance, making a number of posts on his Twitter page including writing: “2 GIVE THANX 4 THE GOOD WEATHER AND 4 ALL THE LOVE AND SUPPORT.”
He posted 22 times this month before his death, including six times at the weekend.
His last tweet was on Monday where he posted a link to website The Electric Fetus, a record shop in Minnesota.
Professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center Dr Marc Siegel said: “He could of had a seizure because of his known childhood problem with epilepsy.”
And a music promoter friend of Prince, who did not want to be named, said: “We are all shocked by this.
“Everyone thought that Prince simply had the flu very badly outside of his inner circle, but it was much worse.
“He had been complaining of being breathless and totally fatigued, and was meant to be on bed rest.
“He was suffering from extreme exhaustion and totally run down.
“He had a very weird reaction after the Atlanta shows passing out on the plane. Everyone was worried, and that is why they took him to hospital.
“I was told they put him on an IV and urged him to take bed rest, focusing on hydrating and eating well.
“Prince was happiest at his home and so that is why he wanted to go back there and recover.
“Paisley Park was his escape from the world and place where he did his favourite activity, which was to create music.
“Everyone just thought he would recover and get back to work, simply because he was just that kind of guy.
“He was a man who pushed himself to the edge of exhaustion every day in his career simply to make sure his shows were great.
“From what we are told he was still the perfect performer in the limelight, but privately the last few days he has been a shadow of that person.
“We were always worried about his weight and frame. He was a small guy, but we always felt that he never ate enough for a man who burned so much energy.
“I know in his last few days that there was concern about his gauntness.”
Fears for the icon’s health had also been sparked by his decision to suddenly cancel tickets for the UK leg of his Spotlight: Piano & Microphone Tour just 15 minutes before there were due on sale, on November 13, apparently due to ticket touts.
The tour, which included dates in London, Glasgow and Birmingham, was postponed three days later, with the official reason being the Paris terrorist attacks.
Prince had also appeared to become more aware of his legacy over the last two years and was writing a highly personal memoir called The Beautiful Ones, which could now tell his story in full for the first time if its planned publication goes ahead next year.
A music source revealed: “For many years he didn’t care about his past, he didn’t care about what anyone thought of him.
“But that had changed. He cared passionately about his book – he wanted it to be the full authoritative story of his life.
“Now, if he was able to complete it, his own words will take on so much greater meaning.”
TRIBUTES ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Prince, who refused to go by the name Prince for much of the Nineties due to a battle with Warner Music, simply using a symbol instead, grew up a Christian but became a Jehovah’s Witness in 2001.
He embraced the religion in a big way, even admitting knocking on random doors to hand out Watchtower magazine and preach his faith.
It is claimed his beliefs prevented him from having surgery, despite doctors advising him to have a double hip replacement to combat damage caused by years of walking around on platforms shoes.
He was forced to walk out on stage using a cane during one of his last high profile appearances at the 2013 Grammy Awards.
Before his death he switched back to Christianity, preaching about the virtues of a moral life, a huge contrast to his previous lyrics.
Friends said it was appropriate he died at Paisley Park, a 55,000-square-foot studio complex he completed in 1985 after becoming a multi-millionaire just seven years after releasing his first album.
A pal said: “He loved it there. It is where he would have wanted to say goodbye.”
Prince Rogers Nelson signed his first music management deal aged 17 before going on to a glittering career spanning almost 40 years.
He was born in Minneapolis 1958 to parents Mattie Della and John Lewis Nelson, both of whom were jazz performers.
He wrote his first song Funk Machine aged seven and had his heart set on a career in music by the time he was a teenager.
Aged just 20, he released his first studio album For You in 1978 and continued to put out an album almost every year afterwards.
But as well as his huge catalogue of hits, he made forays into acting, leading the rock musical of the same name as his single and album, Purple Rain, in 1984.
But he wasn’t only known for his music, with his turbulent personal life often taking centre stage.
He was romantically linked to singer Madonna, actress Kim Basinger and glamour model Carmen Electra over the years.
However, his personal life was marred with tragedy, with his only son dying just a week after being born.
He married his back-up singer and dancer Mayte Garcia in 1996 and she gave birth to their son Boy Gregory in October that same year.
Shortly after being born he was diagnosed with Pfeiffer syndrome and passed away days later.
The couple divorced in 1999, but he married Manuela Testolini two years later after meeting her while doing charity work.
But the Canadian businesswoman was 19 years his junior and he struggled to keep their relationship afloat. They divorced amicably in 2006 but he never remarried.
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