Prince Al-Waleed bin Khalid Al-Saud, a Saudi royal widely known as the “Sleeping Prince,” has died at the age of 36, nearly two decades after a car accident left him in a coma.
The prince was just 15 years old when he suffered a brain haemorrhage and internal bleeding in a devastating car crash in London in 2005.
He never regained full consciousness and was kept on life support at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, until his death.
His father, Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, confirmed the passing in a post on X on Saturday.
“With hearts believing in Allah’s 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 post read.
Prince Al-Waleed was a student at a military college in London at the time of the accident.
Despite the grim prognosis, his father remained devoted to his care and consistently rejected calls to withdraw life support, holding out hope that his son would one day recover.
The announcement of his death has triggered an outpouring 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 wrote.
Another post read, “Your time on earth was a blessing to your family and the world in general.”
“May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace,” added a third.
Funeral prayers for the late prince are scheduled to take place at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh.
