Prince Al-Waleed bin Khalid bin Talal Al Saud, widely known as ‘The Sleeping Prince’ of Saudi Arabia has passed away at the age of 36, after spending 20 years in a coma caused by a devastating car accident in 2005.
The news was confirmed by his father, Prince Khaled bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, in a heartfelt post on X (formerly Twitter). 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.”
{يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ، ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً، فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي، وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي}
بقلوب مؤمنة بقضاء الله وقدره وببالغ الحزن والأسى ننعى إبننا الغالي
الأمير الوليد بن خالد بن طلال بن عبدالعزيز آل سعود رحمه الله
الذي انتقل… pic.twitter.com/QQBbMWGOOG— خالد بن طلال بن عبد العزيز ( أبو الوليد ) (@allah_cure_dede) July 19, 2025
According to Khaleej Times, Prince Alwaleed had been in a coma since 2005 after suffering a serious car accident while studying at a military academy in London. During surgery, a brain hemorrhage left him unresponsive, and he remained in that state for two decades.
Funeral arrangements
Funeral prayers will be held on Sunday, July 20. For men, the prayer will take place after Asr at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh. The women’s prayer will be held after Dhuhr at King Faisal Specialist Hospital.
Condolences will be accepted from July 20 to July 22. Men can offer their condolences at Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s palace in the Al-Fakhriyah district. Women may visit after Maghrib prayer during the same period.
A father’s hope
Throughout the years, Prince Khaled never gave up on his son’s recovery. He refused to withdraw life support and remained hopeful, regularly praying for his son’s healing during significant Islamic occasions. He often shared emotional messages and updates on X.
In fact, just last month during Eid al-Adha, Prince Khaled visited Alwaleed’s bedside along with his other sons and once again prayed publicly for his recovery.
Following the 2005 accident, Prince Alwaleed was moved to King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh and placed on a ventilator. The family brought in medical experts from around the world in hopes of reviving him. Although there were occasional signs of movement that gave them hope, his condition did not improve over the years.