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Prince Al-Waleed bin Khalid Al-Saud, known as the "Sleeping Prince" in Saudi Arabia, has passed away at the age of 36, nearly 20 years after a car accident left him in a coma.
The prince was only 15 when he suffered a brain hemorrhage and internal bleeding during a tragic car crash in London in 2005.
He never regained full consciousness and remained on life support at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh until his death.
His father, Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, confirmed the news in a post on X on Saturday.
“With hearts accepting Allah’s will, and with deep sorrow, 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 post stated.
At the time of the accident, Prince Al-Waleed was a student at a military college in London.
Despite expectations of a grim outcome, his father remained dedicated to his care and consistently opposed calls to withdraw life support, holding onto hope for a possible recovery.
The announcement of his death has sparked a wave of sympathy on social media, with the hashtag “Sleeping Prince” trending widely. “May Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled, Rest In Peace.
Deepest sympathies to his loved ones,” one user commented. Another message read, “Your time on earth was a blessing to your family and the world.”
A third post expressed, “May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.” Funeral prayers for the prince are set to take place at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh.
