Saudi Arabia’s ‘Sleeping Prince’: What happened to Prince Al Waleed bin Khaled

After spending nearly two decades in a deep coma, young Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Khalid bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was declared dead by the Royal Court on Saturday, bringing a poignant close to a long-standing story of hope and endurance.

A tragic accident in 2005 made the life of the 36-year-old prince’s in limbo, and thus earned him the title of ‘Sleeping Prince’ for the 20 years he spent lying on the bed at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre in Riyadh.

Over the years, any movement observed in the Prince’s body made headlines, as many held onto hope for a miraculous recovery despite medical reports indicating otherwise.

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Here’s what we know about the late Prince’s life:

Early life

Born in April 1990 in Riyadh, Prince Alwaleed was the eldest son of Prince Khalid bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, a member of the Saudi royal family and brother of renowned Saudi businessman Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and Princess Rima bint Talal.

At the age of 15, Prince Alwaleed was involved in a car accident during his military studies, which caused a brain haemorrhage that put him into a coma from which he never regained consciousness, despite intensive medical efforts that included interventions by specialised teams from outside Saudi Arabia.

No further details on the accident could be independently verified by Khaleej Times as of the time of publishing the article.

Intensive efforts in the hope of any improvement in his case, including a visit by an international medical team composed of three American doctors and a Spanish one, went all in vain, according to Skynews Arabia.

In 2019, Prince Alwaleed’s aunt, Princess Rima, posted a video showing him moving his head saying, “The Protector, the Powerful, the Merciful, the Compassionate… Alwaleed bin Khalid moves his head from side to side. Praise and thanks be to God.”

Clinging to hope

Prince Alwaleed’s father never lost hope in his son’s recovery despite everything and was quoted as saying that the prince’s life could have just ended in the accident itself and that God is capable of curing him.

On every occasion, the grieving father would go to his son’s bed to pray and recite the Quran, wishing upon a miracle.

Although there was almost no life in the prince’s body, his family made sure his hospital room was decorated to mark several occasions like Ramadan, Eid or Saudi National Day.

Funeral prayers for Prince Alwaleed will be held on Sunday (July 20) after the Asr prayer at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh.