Khashoggi was born in Mecca, the son of Mohammad Khashoggi, who was King Abdul Aziz Al Saud's personal doctor.[4] His family is of Turkish origin,[5] although Khashoggi himself has also said that he had a Jewish grandfather.[6] Adnan Khashoggi's sister was author Samira Khashoggi who married businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed and was the mother of Dodi Fayed.[7] Another sister, Soheir Khashoggi, is a well-known Arab writer (Mirage, Nadia's Song, Mosaic).[7] He was an uncle of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Khashoggi was educated at Victoria College in Alexandria, Egypt,[4] and the Americanuniversities California State University, Chico, Ohio State, and Stanford. Khashoggi left his studies in order to seek his fortune in business.[8]