Saudi Arabia’s ‘Sleeping Prince’ has died after 20 years in a coma.
Glamtush reports that Prince Al-Waleed of Saudi Arabia, known as the “Sleeping Prince,” who spent more than 20 years in a coma, has passed away. He died at a hospital in Riyadh at the age of just 36.
Prince Al-Waleed was the eldest son of Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud.
His father, Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, confirmed the passing in a post on X on Saturday.
Quoting a verse from the Quran, he wrote, “With hearts believing in Allah’s will and decree, and with deep sorrow and sadness, we mourn our beloved son: Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, may Allah have mercy on him, who passed away today.”
The prince, who was just 15 years old at the time of the accident in 2005, suffered a brain haemorrhage and internal bleeding.
In 2005, when he was 15 years old, while studying at a military college in London, he was involved in a serious car accident that caused severe injuries, including a brain hemorrhage and internal bleeding.
After the accident, Al-Waleed was placed on a ventilator but never regained consciousness. The prince was transferred to the King Abdulaziz Medical Center in Riyadh, where he remained in a coma for two decades.
The prince’s father never lost hope for his recovery. He constantly cared for his son and firmly refused to consider disconnecting life support, including defying doctors’ advice to let nature take its course back in 2015.
Prince Khaled regularly shared photos from the hospital on social media, marking various holidays and important dates, demonstrating his boundless love and support.
Some brief hope was ignited after the prince was observed making minor movements, including raising his fingers and tilting his head, but his condition did not improve.
Prince Al Waheed is a great-grandson of King Abdulaziz or Ibn Saud, the founder and first monarch of Saudi Arabia.
He is also the nephew of billionaire tycoon Al Waheed bin Talal Al Saud and the current regnant, King Salman, is his great-uncle.
Prince Al Waheed’s funeral prayers will take place on Sunday afternoon at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh for men. At the same time, the women’s service will be held at King Faisal Specialist Hospital.
