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After more than two decades in a coma, the “sleeping prince” of Saudi Arabia, Al-Waleed bin Khalid Al-Saud, has passed away.
The 36-year-old had been interned at the King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, the country’s capital, where family members, including his father, celebrated his birthday in April this year. Like many other events at his beloved’s bedside, he posted the event on social media.
Highlights
- Prince Al-Waleed, who fell into a coma after a 2005 car crash in London, passed away in Riyadh.
- Despite medical advice, his father, Prince Khaled bin Talal, refused to remove life support.
- The royal family spent decades searching for treatments.
The prince’s passing, announced on X, has since drawn a slew of condolences from followers worldwide.
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Even a religious organization marveled at the prince’s resolve to keep his son on life support for that long
Image credits: Khaled bin Talal
“The passing of His Royal Highness Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,” the notice posted on July 19 reads.
“His funeral prayer will be held – God willing – tomorrow, Sunday, corresponding to 25/1/1447 AH, after the Asr prayer at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in the city of Riyadh.”
On a page specifically designed to support the comatose Al-Waleed, another notice reads:
Image credits: Khaled bin Talal
“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.”
Religious institutions, like the Global Imams Council, weighed in with their respects.
Image credits: Khaled bin Talal
It wrote:
“As we share the grief with the royal family on this solemn occasion, we recall with deep respect the patience and steadfastness demonstrated by his father, prince Khaled Bin Talal, and his family, a testament to their profound faith.”
The man refused to listen to doctors’ advice
Image credits: Khaled bin Talal
A post on June 8 depicted the comatose royal in a hospital room decorated for the event while three family members stood around his bed on April 18 this year.
The incident that put Al-Waleed there took place in 2005.
He was studying at a military academy in London, and at some point during his stay, he was involved in a high-speed car accident that left him with numerous brain injuries and internal bleeding.
Statement On the Passing of Prince Alwaleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud pic.twitter.com/st19kxb7lC
— Global Imams Council (GIC) (@ImamsOrg) July 19, 2025
He was then flown to Riyadh, where he was hooked up to a ventilator and feeding tube.
After ten years in a coma, doctors advised his father, Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, to take him off life support and let nature take its course, but he refused.
The family, whose wealth dwarfs that of the British monarchy 16 times over, dug deep in their endeavors to find solutions
Image credits: Khaled bin Talal
It was reported that Prince Al-Waleed made head and finger movements in 2019 but gave no other reason for hope.
His father remained hopeful nonetheless, and in 2022, three years after movement was spotted, India’s Economic Timesquoted Prince Khaled saying:
“If God had wanted him to die in the accident, he would have been in his grave now.”
Image credits: Khaled bin Talal
According to UNILAD, his mother supported her husband’s beliefs when she claimed to have sensed her son’s spirit.
The family, members of the House of Saud, is said to be worth around $1.4 trillion–sixteen times richer than the British Royal Family, per a 2018 CNBCreport–delved deep to seek out international expertise in the hope of healing their son, but to no avail.
Prince Al-Waleed is the oldest son of Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, who in turn, is the son of ultra-wealthy tycoon Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud, who was listed among Time magazine‘s 100 most influential people in the world in 2007.
Image credits: Khaled bin Talal
The senior Al Waleed, or the late 36-year-old prince’s grandfather, in turn, is the grandson of the Saudi monarchy’s founder, Ibn Saud.
Some factions on social media see moral in this story
The public has been marveling at the story, with some struggling to get their head around what it means to be or have a loved one in a coma for two decades.
Image credits: Khaled bin Talal
“Imagine how he would feel if he recovered after losing 20 years of his life,” wrote one netizen.
“Imagine sleeping at age 16 and waking up as a 36 year old though,” echoed another.
But to one observer, the story offered a valuable lesson:
“This picture is an eye opener,” they wrote. “No matter how rich, strong, powerful and popular, you are still weak and mortal….be kind and humble.”
Some netizens think keeping someone on a ventilator that long is inhumane
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What do you think ?
Taylor's Ferry 4 months ago
As a nurse I have seen this situation numerous times. It is not for me to question why, but to care for the patient.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 4 months ago (edited)
This one is difficult for me. After my dad's accident, my mom made a LOT of questionable and selfish decisions about his care and situation, including ignoring his well-known previous wishes that he didn't want to be kept alive in a coma/vegetative state. (He never got a DNR. GET A DNR IF YOU WANT ONE!!) Over 21 years I watched my wonderful, loving dad, my lifelong protector from my mom's abúse, waste away in a bed in the living room, bedridden, in diapers, with a feeding tube in his stomach. He was more aware than Prince Dede was, but he had catastrophic brain damage and we never knew how much of him was "there" or not. He had dozens of strokes over the 21 years after his accident and got worse and worse. Still my mom used all the highest lifesaving methods to prolong his life and keep him alive. It was entirely selfish on her part - which I understand - but she did it all knowing he didn't want to be like that AND not caring at all how her two daughters felt, having to be their dad's caregivers, changing his diapers, and watching him die inch by inch. I hope to this day that my dad's brain damage was so severe that he didn't "realize" how bad his brain damage was. I'll never know. To me, in many ways, my dad actually "died" the day of his accident. His body and a form of his consciousness remained alive for another 21 awful, soul-crushing years. I understand being selfish. I understand clinging to hope and not wanting to let go, especially when something like this happens to a child or young adult. I get it. I understand. I also understand a small measure of what the prince's parents must have been going through for 20 years, hoping their son would wake up. Selfish to keep him on life support for 20 years when there was no signs of life? Yeah. Is that the worst thing in the world? Not always. Regret is the worst thing in the world. Apologies for the long comment; this one just.. hits home particularly hard. My dad finally died in 2021, over two decades after his accident. I was the only one who was at his side in the hospice ward when he died, holding his hand. My mother said she "couldn't handle it" and bailed. I'll never forget that, either.
Michelle C 4 months ago
My goodness…. I had never heard of this young man’s story until now and he wasn’t much older than I am. Reading his story should give rise to sympathy, empathy, and compassion rather than condemnation. Whether you agree with the Saudi royal family decision to keep him on life-support for as long as they did and their faith or you believe that a different faith is the truth, pray for and show kindness to those who grieve. 💔
Taylor's Ferry 4 months ago
As a nurse I have seen this situation numerous times. It is not for me to question why, but to care for the patient.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 4 months ago (edited)
This one is difficult for me. After my dad's accident, my mom made a LOT of questionable and selfish decisions about his care and situation, including ignoring his well-known previous wishes that he didn't want to be kept alive in a coma/vegetative state. (He never got a DNR. GET A DNR IF YOU WANT ONE!!) Over 21 years I watched my wonderful, loving dad, my lifelong protector from my mom's abúse, waste away in a bed in the living room, bedridden, in diapers, with a feeding tube in his stomach. He was more aware than Prince Dede was, but he had catastrophic brain damage and we never knew how much of him was "there" or not. He had dozens of strokes over the 21 years after his accident and got worse and worse. Still my mom used all the highest lifesaving methods to prolong his life and keep him alive. It was entirely selfish on her part - which I understand - but she did it all knowing he didn't want to be like that AND not caring at all how her two daughters felt, having to be their dad's caregivers, changing his diapers, and watching him die inch by inch. I hope to this day that my dad's brain damage was so severe that he didn't "realize" how bad his brain damage was. I'll never know. To me, in many ways, my dad actually "died" the day of his accident. His body and a form of his consciousness remained alive for another 21 awful, soul-crushing years. I understand being selfish. I understand clinging to hope and not wanting to let go, especially when something like this happens to a child or young adult. I get it. I understand. I also understand a small measure of what the prince's parents must have been going through for 20 years, hoping their son would wake up. Selfish to keep him on life support for 20 years when there was no signs of life? Yeah. Is that the worst thing in the world? Not always. Regret is the worst thing in the world. Apologies for the long comment; this one just.. hits home particularly hard. My dad finally died in 2021, over two decades after his accident. I was the only one who was at his side in the hospice ward when he died, holding his hand. My mother said she "couldn't handle it" and bailed. I'll never forget that, either.
Michelle C 4 months ago
My goodness…. I had never heard of this young man’s story until now and he wasn’t much older than I am. Reading his story should give rise to sympathy, empathy, and compassion rather than condemnation. Whether you agree with the Saudi royal family decision to keep him on life-support for as long as they did and their faith or you believe that a different faith is the truth, pray for and show kindness to those who grieve. 💔
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