Saudi Arabia’s ‘Sleeping Prince’ Passes Away After 20-Year Coma

Prince Al-Waleed’s death ends a decades-long saga of hope, heartbreak, and royal resilience

Riyadh — Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, often referred to as Saudi Arabia’s “Sleeping Prince,” passed away at the age of 36 after spending nearly 20 years in a coma following a tragic car accident in 2005.

The young royal slipped into a coma at age 15 after sustaining a traumatic brain injury in a high-speed crash in London. Despite emergency surgeries and advanced treatment in Europe and back home in Saudi Arabia, Prince Al-Waleed never regained full consciousness. He remained in a vegetative state, kept alive with the help of ventilators and round-the-clock care at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh.

His father, Prince Khaled bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, confirmed the news in an emotional message shared online. “With hearts full of faith in Allah’s decree and destiny, and with profound sadness, we mourn our beloved son,” he wrote. The funeral prayers will take place on Sunday at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh.

Throughout the years, Prince Khaled refused to end life support, remaining steadfast in his hope for a miracle. His decision drew both support and debate within Saudi Arabia and abroad, but many saw it as a deeply personal and spiritual stance grounded in faith. Prince Khaled frequently visited his son, sitting beside him in prayer and vigil — an image that came to symbolize a father’s unbreakable devotion.

Born in April 1990, Prince Al-Waleed was the eldest son of Prince Khaled, a prominent member of the Saudi royal family. His story became one of the most emotionally resonant in recent Saudi history, capturing national attention as a reminder of fragility, endurance, and familial love under extraordinary circumstances.

Although Prince Al-Waleed never woke up, his two-decade battle and his father’s unwavering presence turned their private pain into a public narrative of perseverance and prayer. With his passing, the chapter closes on a story that touched the hearts of many, both inside the kingdom and beyond its borders.