Saudi Arabia’s “Sleeping Prince” Al-Waleed bin Khaled dies at 36 after nearly 19 years in coma
Source: 3news
Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, affectionately known across the Arab world as the “Sleeping Prince,” has died at the age of 36 after spending almost 19 years in a coma.
His passing was announced on Saturday, July 19, in a statement issued by the Royal Court through the Saudi Press Agency.
His heartbroken dad Prince Khaled bin Talal bin Abdulaziz also confirmed his passing on social media.
He wrote on X: “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’s story, which captured the hearts of millions across the region, is one of tragedy, faith, and unwavering familial devotion.
Prince Al-Waleed was the eldest son of Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud and the nephew of billionaire businessman Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal.
In 2005, at just 15 years old, Prince Al-Waleed,then a military cadet studying in London suffered a life-altering car crash that left him with a severe brain hemorrhage and multiple internal injuries.
He was flown back to Saudi Arabia for treatment and admitted to King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, where he remained under intensive care for two decades.
Despite extensive consultations with specialists from around the world, including neurologists and intensive care experts from the United States and Spain, the prince never regained full consciousness.
Over the years, his condition was described as a minimally responsive coma, with occasional involuntary movements offering brief glimpses of possible awareness.
Throughout this prolonged and painful chapter, Prince Al-Waleed was kept alive through mechanical ventilation and round-the-clock monitoring.
His hospital room became more than a medical space—it was transformed into a symbol of spiritual endurance.
Family members, religious scholars, and well-wishers frequently visited, often reciting verses from the Quran in the hope of a divine miracle.
Videos of the prince appearing to respond subtly to these recitations circulated widely on social media, sparking renewed waves of prayer and emotional support from the public. These moments, however small, kept hope alive for his loved ones and many across the Arab world who followed his condition closely.
With Prince Al-Waleed’s passing, the Kingdom bids farewell to a royal whose name came to represent hope in the face of sorrow. Tributes have since poured in across social media, with many Saudis and members of the wider Arab community offering condolences and praying for mercy on his soul.
