NEED TO KNOW
- Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, known as the “Sleeping Prince,” has died at the age of 36, after spending 20 years in a coma
- Prince Al-Waleed was 15 years old when he sustained severe brain injuries in a car accident in 2005 while studying at a military college in London
- After the accident, his father, Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, declined to take him off life support and moved him to a specialized medical facility
Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, known as the “Sleeping Prince,” has died after spending two decades in a coma. He was 36.
On Saturday, July 19, the prince’s father, Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud — a well-known Saudi royal and nephew of billionaire Prince Al Waleed bin Talal — announced that his son died at a medical facility in Saudi Arabia.
“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 mourning dad wrote in Arabic on X.
Alongside a black-and-white photo of his son lying in a hospital bed with his eyes closed, Prince Khaled added that the funeral service would be held on Sunday, July 20.
Born in April 1990, Prince Al-Waleed — who was nicknamed Dede by his family — was injured in a car accident in 2005 while studying at a military college in London, per Gulf News and the Mirror. He was 15 years old at the time.
The prince sustained several severe brain injuries and internal bleeding, and eventually fell into a coma. He was later transported to King Abdulaziz Medical City in the Saudi city of Riyadh, where he remained in a coma until his death.
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Over the two decades that Al-Waleed was in a coma, his father opted to keep him on life support and often shared social media footage of himself and other family members praying for his son’s recovery.
Several of Khaled’s posts over the years went viral, garnering millions of views as he prayed for his son and continued to celebrate special occasions by decorating the prince’s hospital room for holidays, including Ramadan, Eid and Saudi National Day.
Al-Waleed never regained full consciousness, but his father often shared footage of his minor physical responses, such as lifting his hands and fingers.
Over the years, the prince also drew many in-person visitors, who would visit his hospital room and pray alongside his father and brothers, per the Mirror.
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