Saudi royal, Prince Alwaleed bin Khaled Al-Saud, popularly known as the “Sleeping Prince,” has passed away after spending nearly two decades in a coma following a tragic accident.
The news of his death was confirmed by local Saudi media and widely reported by global outlets. Prince Alwaleed slipped into a coma in 2005 at the age of 18, after suffering a severe traumatic brain injury during a car crash while studying at a military college in the United Kingdom.
Since then, the prince remained in a vegetative state, cared for in a private room in King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh.
His prolonged health condition turned him into a figure of both medical intrigue and emotional empathy across the Middle East.
The young royal became known as the “Sleeping Prince” because of his unresponsive but physically sustained state, which defied medical expectations for over 19 years.
His passing has sparked an outpouring of tributes and prayers across social media platforms, with many Saudis recalling the emotional saga that surrounded his condition for two decades. Citizens, clerics, and officials alike have paid homage to both the prince and his family’s unwavering dedication.
Over the years, there were occasional glimpses of hope. In 2019, a video of the prince reportedly moving his fingers stirred emotional reactions online, with family members clinging to optimism for recovery.
His father, Prince Khaled bin Talal, a prominent member of the royal family, had publicly resisted medical advice to take his son off life support, citing religious faith and hope for divine healing.
Prince Alwaleed’s story drew global attention not only because of the tragedy that befell him but also due to the unrelenting commitment his family showed in preserving his life over such a long period.
Throughout his condition, he received 24-hour intensive care, and his family regularly updated the public with health reports that often went viral across the Arab world.
