“Sleeping Saudi Prince” Alwaleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud dies after nearly two decades in coma

Prince Alwaleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, internationally known as “the Sleeping Prince,” has passed away at the age of 36 after nearly two decades in a deep coma. 

The news of his death was announced on Saturday, July 19, by his father, Prince Khaled bin Talal, nephew of billionaire Alwaleed bin Talal, in a post.

“With deep faith in Allah’s will and great sorrow, we mourn our beloved son,” his father wrote on the X platform, accompanying the message with a photo of the prince in his hospital bed. 

The funeral service was scheduled for Sunday, as the family bid farewell to the young man who remained in a comatose state for 19 years since 2005. He was severely injured in a car accident in London at the age of 15 while attending a military academy.

Alwaleed was initially hospitalized in the United Kingdom and later transferred to a medical center in Riyadh. He remained on life support until his death, with his father constantly by his side, keeping alive a flame of faith and hope. 

Throughout these years, Prince Khaled often published photos and videos of his son’s small movements — such as the twitching of a finger or the movement of a hand — which were met with emotion by his thousands of followers. 

The story of the “sleeping prince” deeply moved Saudi society, and his hospital room became a sanctuary of faith, visited by members of the royal family, politicians, religious leaders, and ordinary citizens.