In 2005, Saudi prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud was involved in a car accident in London. The young prince was 15 at the time and studying at a military college. This left the prince with serious injuries, including brain trauma and internal haemorrhaging. He was subsequently relocated to Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Medical City, spending the remainder of his life in a coma and on life support.
He remained in this state until the 19th of July, 2025, when he passed away at the age of 36. His father, Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, announced the news of his death. “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,” stated Prince Khaled.
The Sleeping Prince was Kept Alive In a Coma for 20 Years Despite Doctors’ Advice

The Sleeping Prince’s family truly believed that he would one day awaken from his coma. In 2015, after ten years in a coma, the doctors suggested ending the life support and “letting nature take its course. Over the years, many international specialists were consulted. However, by that point, the medical teams had reached the conclusion that his condition was irreversible. However, the prince’s family ended up ignoring the advice of the doctors and decided to keep him alive. Their choice was also significantly influenced by their religious beliefs.
“If God had wanted him to die in the accident, he would have been in his grave now,” stated the Prince’s father, in an interview with Economic Times. In another interview, his mother said that she could still sense the Prince’s spirit while he lay in a coma. In 2019, there was a moment that brought the family some hope when the prince moved his head and fingers. He managed to convey signs of limited awareness through these small gestures. However, these slight movements were not an indication of a return to full consciousness, and it was the last time he reportedly moved.
Messages From Mourners

Since the prince’s passing, tributes have been streaming in, such as the one shared on Twitter by the Global Imams Council. The post stated, “The Global Imams council extends its sincere condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Adbulaziz, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the esteemed Royal Family, on the passing of His Royal Highness Pirnce Alwaleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, who passed away after a long struggle that lasted nearly twenty years following a tragic accident.”
Another individual posted, “May Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled, Rest In Peace. Deepest sympathies to his loved ones.” Another mourner added, “Your time on earth was a blessing to your family and the world in general.” Funeral prayers were held on the 20th of July. The men’s prayer took place after the Asr prayer at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh, while the women’s service followed the Dhuhr prayer at King Faisal Specialist Hospital.
What Were the Chances that He Would Have Woken Up?

The majority of people who wake up from a coma typically do so within a few minutes to a few weeks. When they do wake up, it is usually a gradual process, and they don’t simply suddenly awaken in full consciousness. Younger people usually have a better chance of survival, which could be another reason that the Sleeping Prince’s family decided to keep him on life support for so long. However, the longer they stay in a coma, the worse the prognosis is for them.
More severe injuries usually lead to lower recovery rates and periods of unconsciousness. This is likely why his doctors recommended that he be taken off life support after so many years. Yet, for any family, giving up hope could feel like a betrayal of both one’s relatives and religion. Additionally, some patients do not fully recover but transition to a partially conscious state. Any sign of movement, like those exhibited in 2019, would have given them hope that he would maybe partially regain some sort of consciousness.
Unwavering Family Devotion

The Sleeping Prince’s story is one of deep and unwavering family devotion. Even though all experts suggested they switch off life support, his family truly believed he would one day awaken from his coma. For 20 years, they waited for that moment, with their hopes temporarily raised when he moved his head and fingers slightly in 2019. Unfortunately, since then, he has not shown any signs of movement or consciousness and passed away in July. This marked the final chapter of his short life and was received with condolences from supportive mourners around the world.