From pop music's queen to a fallen star ravaged by drug use: The life of Whitney Houston in pictures
Whitney Houston, who ruled as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, died on Saturday. She was aged 48. MailOnline looks back at the life of the star singer who was pronounced dead in her room of the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, California
Sad ending: Houston looked worse for wear as she left Tru Hollywood nightclub this week, just a few days before she was found dead in a hotel room on Saturday
Legendary singer and film star Whitney Houston has died in her hotel room after a long battle with hard drugs and alcohol that blighted her career. She was 48.
The star was found by her bodyguard drowned in a bathtub in a room containing prescription pill bottles, according to sources.
Paramedics battled to revive the singer but she was pronounced dead at 3.55pm yesterday afternoon.
Her frantic daughter Bobbi Kristina, 19, is said to have got into a 'furious screaming argument' with police who refused to let her into the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles to see the body of her dead mother.
Friends of Miss Houston's cousin Dionne Warwick, who also went to the hotel to try to see the body, have said that she is 'inconsolable'.
The cause of death is not yet known. There were no illegal drugs in the fourth floor hotel suite but the previous evening she had 'partied heavily, drank and chatted loudly' with friends at the hotel bar, claims TMZ.
As the singer's body was wheeled to an ambulance, just yards away stars including Britney Spears and Kim Kardashian were taking part in the pre-Grammy Awards party at the hotel. Miss Houston had been due to attend the event which was organised by her mentor Clive Davis.
The surreal scene inside the hotel event unfolded with Mr Davis paying tribute to the singer, before saying: 'Now ladies and gentlemen, let the music begin.'
Grammy president and CEO Neil Portnow, who called Houston a friend, said 'canceling the party was never an option.' He announced that Jennifer Hudson would perform a tribute to Houston at Sunday's Grammys.
News of the death brought a string of public tributes from the music industry. Simon Cowell said Houston was a 'true diva' with 'one of the best voices I have head in my life ever'.
Rihanna tweeted that she was 'in tears' while Mariah Carey said that she was 'heartbroken' over the loss of her friend.
Mitch Winehouse, the father of late Amy Winehouse who died last year, also paid tribute to Miss Houston and the recently deceased Etta James on Twitter, writing: 'Amy, Etta, Whitney. Their music will NEVER die. What a great girl group in heaven. Mitch'. Winehouse, who was in Los Angeles when he heard the news, also said he was 'absolutely devastated'.
The Saving All My Love singer's publicist Kristen Foster confirmed that the singer had died. An unconfirmed report later emerged which said that Houston had been found in her bathtub.
A spokesman for the local police department said that emergency services had been called to the hotel at 3.43pm on Saturday, arriving minutes later.
Officials rushed to the room on the fourth floor where she was staying as a guest, where they found security staff and firemen attempting to revive her using CPR.Life-saving attempts proved unsuccessful after 20 minutes, and she was pronounced dead at 3.55pm.
A coroner's van leaves the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, California, this morning where Whitney Houston was found dead. She is said to have 'drowned in the bathtub'
The corridor on the fouth floor of the hotel close to the room where Miss Houston died. Right, mourners gather at a makeshift memorial on the corner of Santa Monica and Wilshire Boulevards
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