Who was Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled? Saudi Arabia’s ‘Sleeping Prince' who dies after two decades in coma

Saudi Arabian Prince Al Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, known as the “Sleeping Prince,” died on Saturday, July 19, after spending 20 years in a coma. The prince was 36 years old and had spent two decades in a coma since 2005 after a car accident in London. Confirming the news of his son’s death, Al Waleed’s father, Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, wrote on X, “With hearts full of faith in Allah’s decree and destiny, and with profound sadness and sorrow, 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 to Allah’s mercy today.”

According to a Khaleej Times report, the funeral prayers will take place on Sunday, July 20, which will be held separately for men and women. For men, prayers will be held after the Asr prayer at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh. For women, prayers will be held after the Dhuhr prayer at King Faisal Specialist Hospital. People will be allowed to offer their condolences during the three days from July 20 to July 22. Men are allowed to visit Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s Palace in the Al-Fakhriyah district, while women can do the same after Maghrib prayer.

Who was the ‘Sleeping Prince’, what happened to him?

Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal, who turned 36 on 18 April 2025, was born in 1990. Prince Al-Waleed is the great-grandson of King Abdulaziz, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia. He remained in a state of unresponsive coma after suffering a serious brain injury in a car accident when he was just a teenager. Prince Al Waleed was studying as a military cadet in London at the time and suffered a fatal road accident in 2005 that caused severe internal bleeding.

On rare occasions, the prince showed involuntary movements which sparked hope for his recovery. Although doctors had once advised his father to end life support, the senior prince refused publicly as he was hopeful for his son’s recovery. Even when specialised American and Spanish physicians were involved in urgent medical care, he could never fully regain.