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Prince Alwaleed bin Khaled: Saudi Arabia’s ‘Sleeping Prince’ dies after two decades in coma
Prince Alwaleed bin Khaled bin Talal died in Riyadh after spending 20 years in a coma following a traumatic brain injury in a 2005 accident.
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Prince Alwaleed bin Khaled bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, known globally as Saudi Arabia’s ‘Sleeping Prince’, passed away on Saturday, July 19, after spending nearly 20 years in a coma. He was 36.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Prince Khaled bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, his father, confirmed the news of his son’s passing. He wrote, “O reassured soul, return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him], and enter My Paradise… With hearts believing in Allah’s will and decree, and with deep sorrow, we mourn our beloved son.”
According to a Khaleej Times report, Prince Alwaleed has been in a coma since 2005 following a severe car accident while studying at a military academy in London. A brain hemorrhage during surgery left him unresponsive for the remainder of his life.
Prince Alwaleed’s funeral details
The report added that funeral prayers will be held on July 20, Sunday. For men, it will be held after Asr prayer at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh. The service for women will be held after Dhuhr prayer at King Faisal Specialist Hospital.
Meanwhile, condolences will be accepted over three days from July 20 to July 22. Men can visit Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s Palace in the Al-Fakhriyah district while women can visit the palace after Maghrib prayer.
A father’s devotion
The report stated that Prince Khaled bin Talal, Alwaleed’s father, hoped for his son’s recovery and refused to withdraw life support over the years. Throughout sacred Islamic occasions, from the final nights of Ramadan to Eid, he offered heartfelt prayers for his son, often sharing emotional updates and invocations on X.
As per the report, in June this year, on the third day of Eid al-Adha, Prince Khaled visited Alwaleed with his other sons and pleaded publicly for his recovery.
After his accident, Prince Alwaleed was admitted to King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh and placed on a ventilator. His family called in medical experts from around the globe to assess his condition and hopefully revive him, but he never regained consciousness. While his family occasionally saw small movements that gave them hope, his condition remained the same for 20 years, the Khaleej Times report added.
FAQs:
1. Who was Prince Alwaleed bin Khaled?
He was a Saudi royal known as the "Sleeping Prince", who remained in a coma for 20 years following a car accident in 2005.
2. What caused his coma?
He suffered a brain hemorrhage after a traumatic brain injury during a car accident while studying in London.
3. Where and when will the funeral be held?
The funeral prayer for men will take place at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh on July 20, after the Asr prayer. Women’s prayers will be held at King Faisal Specialist Hospital after Dhuhr.
4. Where will condolences be received?
Condolences will be received at Prince Alwaleed’s palace in Al-Fakhriyah and at Al-Fakhriyah Palace for women, from Sunday through Tuesday.
