Raised with the privileges and responsibilities of royalty, Al-Waleed had been preparing for a future in military service. In 2005, at just 15 years old, he was enrolled at a military college in London when his life was suddenly and irreversibly altered.
That year, a serious car crash in the UK left him with massive brain injuries and internal bleeding. Doctors struggled to stabilise him. Despite efforts by both American and Spanish medical teams, his condition did not improve beyond a minimally responsive coma.
The accident that changed everything
After the accident, he was transferred to King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh. From that moment, his life entered a long pause. Though he remained alive on life support, Al-Waleed never recovered full consciousness.
Small movements gave occasional hope — a twitch of a finger or a blink during Quranic recitation — but there was no significant neurological progress. He was kept under constant care for nearly 20 years.
Medical experts early on concluded that he would never return to a conscious state. Yet his father refused to give up.
A father’s faith, unshaken
Prince Khaled bin Talal stood by his son every step of the way. Faced with difficult decisions, he chose to fight for his son’s life, believing firmly that life and death were not for humans to decide.He refused repeated advice to end life support. Instead, he placed his trust in divine intervention.
In a public post on X (formerly Twitter), Prince Khaled announced his son’s passing, writing, “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.”
For nearly two decades, his son’s hospital room became a place of prayer. Visitors included religious figures, well-wishers, and thousands who saw in the prince’s story something larger than tragedy — a powerful example of hope and human endurance.
Why he was called ‘The Sleeping Prince’
As the years went by, the public gave him a name: the ‘Sleeping Prince’.
The phrase captured the frozen nature of his life — a young royal who entered a coma at 15 and stayed there until his death at 36. He was a symbol of suspended time, a reminder of fragility, and a story that millions followed from afar.
Viral videos over the years sparked speculation, with some suggesting he had woken up. One recent clip falsely claimed to show the prince reunited with family, but it was later revealed to feature Saudi billionaire Yazeed Mohamed Al-Rajhi. The rumours were common. The reality stayed the same.
He never woke.
Global reaction and condolences
His death on 19 July was confirmed by the Saudi Royal Court through the state news agency.
The Global Imams Council issued its condolences, saying, “The Global Imams Council extends its sincere condolences and heartfelt sympathy to… His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the esteemed Royal Family, on the passing of Prince Alwaleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, who passed away after a long struggle that lasted nearly twenty years following a tragic accident.”
Social media flooded with tributes under the hashtag #SleepingPrince. Messages came in from across the Arab world.
“May Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled, Rest In Peace. Deepest sympathies to his loved ones,” one user posted.
“Your time on earth was a blessing to your family and the world in general,” said another.
Final rites and public mourning
Funeral prayers for Prince Al-Waleed were held on Sunday, 20 July, at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh, following the Asr prayer.
For women, prayers were held at King Faisal Specialist Hospital after the Dhuhr prayer.
The family is receiving condolences from 20 to 22 July.
Prince Al-Waleed’s story is not one of a life lived fully, but of a life that never got the chance. His 20 years in a coma became a national memory — not because of what he did, but because of what he endured, and what his family stood for.
His father’s quiet defiance against letting go, his refusal to pull the plug, and his belief that healing could come from above, left a lasting impression on the public.
In the end, the Sleeping Prince became a symbol of patience, prayer and the long weight of hope.
