Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, known as the The "Sleeping Prince," breathed his last enduring twenty years in a coma. His was 36.
Prince Alwaleed bin Khaled, also known as Saudi Arabia's 'Sleeping Prince', passed away after two decades in coma/ (X)
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The late Prince father, Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, a prominent Saudi royal and the nephew of wealthy Prince Al Waleed bin Talal, revealed the death of his son at a Saudi medical facility on Saturday, July 19.
“With hearts believing in Allah 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 father of the deceased wrote in Arabic on X.
Prince Khaled also announced that the funeral service would take place on Sunday, July 20, and included a black-and-white picture of his son laying in a hospital bed with his eyes closed.
According to Gulf News and the Mirror, Prince Al-Waleed, who was born in April 1990 and affectionately referred to by his family as Dede, sustained injuries in a car accident in 2005 while attending a military academy in London. At that point of time, he was 15 years old.
The Prince later fell into a coma after suffering very serious brain injuries and intestinal hemorrhage. Later, he was sent to King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he stayed unconscious until his passing.
During the twenty years when Al-Waleed was in a coma, his father chose to keep him on life support, asserting that life and death are solely in God's hands.
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He even posted videos of himself and other close family members praying for Al-Waleed's recovery on social media.
His several posts, including Khaled decorating the Prince's hospital room for festivals like Ramadan, Eid, and Saudi National Day, went viral and received millions of views over the years.
Al-Waleed's dad frequently released video of his minor bodily reactions, including raising his hands and fingers, although he never really recovered.
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.
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Home/World News/Us News/Why was Prince Alwaleed bin Khaled in coma for 20 years? All about the 2005 tragedy
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