American publications report Prince had Aids

Los Angeles – According to several reports from the US, Prince had been diagnosed with Aids six months before he died.

The story surfaced on Wednesday when a source exclusively revealed to The National Enquirer that Prince was "preparing to die for a little while" because he was diagnosed with Aids.

The 57-year-old musician passed away at his Paisley Park estate in Minneapolis last week and it has been alleged that he contracted HIV in the Nineties before developing full-blown Aids last year after refusing medication for the illness on religious grounds.

Friends of the late star - who was a Jehovah's Witness - told the National Enquirer magazine: "He was in bad shape. Doctors told Prince his blood count was unusually low and that his body temperature had dropped dangerously below the normal 98.6 degrees. He was totally iron deficient, very weak and often disoriented. He rarely ate and when he did it all came right back up."

However, Prince is said to have told his friends: "God can - and will - cure me."

After his initial HIV diagnosis, Prince was reportedly discouraged from taking medication by members of his faith.

A source said: "They told Prince he'd have everlasting life and believed he had been cured by faith.

"But the symptoms returned and it was too late for medication. He expected to live through the summer but his immune system was very weak."

He is alleged to have been taking prescription opiates for "Aids-related pain and hip problems".

These claims come following recent reports that Prince overdosed on the painkiller Percocet six days before his death and had to be given a "save shot" to counteract the effects of opiates, after being taken ill on his private jet on the way back from a gig in Atlanta.

According to friends, Prince knew he was dying and had already started planning his funeral.

A post-mortem was carried out on Prince's body last week and it confirmed there had been no trauma or violence in the time leading up to the singer's death.

The star's body has now been released to his family.

Fans of Prince have reacted with anger on social media to reports that he died from Aids.

See some of the reactions here:

#Prince had AIDS? According to all the shittiest, scummiest, most bullshit "papers" on the planet. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.

— John Cranney (@jjcranney) April 28, 2016

#prince dead from AIDS? The man just died. Leave him alone. We may never know the whole truth. #Respect #PrinceRIP #PrinceGoneTooSoon

— Nicole Cappelleri (@ActivePatience_) April 28, 2016

I call BS on #prince dying of #aids if this were true and he was told 6 months ago " prepare to die " why start a tour and have no will????

— Mia McEntee (@MiaMcEntee) April 28, 2016

Really #NationalEnquirer #Prince hasn't been dead that long...now you claims he has AIDS?If he did what's it to ya'll.Slow day 4 ya'll .

— Kendra D. McBride (@KendraDMcBride1) April 28, 2016

Please stop disrespecting #Prince by gossiping he had AIDS. His son was born in 1996 = do the math and use common sense !

— Doxing-Rx (@DoxingRx) April 21, 2016