Prince Alwaleed Bin Khaled dies after 20 years in a coma, Saudi media reported late Thursday night, marking the end of two decades of hope, grief and prayer for the prince’s remarkable medical journey.
The “Sleeping Prince,” as many across the Arab world knew him, became a fixture on social media with consistent updates from the Saudi royal family about the young prince, who had been in a persistent vegetative state since a brain injury from a car accident in 2005.
A Country Grieves the Death of the “Sleeping Prince”
As reported by Saudi Gazette, Prince Alwaleed Bin Khaled Al-Saud died on July 18, 2025, peacefully in a Riyadh hospital surrounded by near relatives. Early reports indicate that his death was widely spread across the region, and people on social media were sending condolences and thinking of the heartwarming narrative that has captivated millions since his tragic accident 20 years ago.
“We are from Allah and to Him we’ll return,” tweeted his cousin Princess Rima Al Saud. “May Allah have mercy on your soul, dear Alwaleed.”
An Accident That Changed a Life
At the age of 18 Prince Alwaleed was involved in an unfortunate car accident while studying at a military college. In 2005 this accident left the young prince in a coma, with very low brain activity. They ruled that the young prince was in a persistent vegetative state, for years his family held out hope–and would not give up on him.
His father, Prince Khaled Bin Talal Al-Saud, publicly pledged that he would keep him on life support forever, if that was God’s will and while there was still hope. The prince briefly progressed, but for the most part, he was unchanged for many years. Occasionally some widely circulated video clips showing small movements (that could have been reflexes) would spur hope regarding his recovery.
Two Decades of Loyalty and National Interest
For the past twenty years, Prince Alwaleed became an unusual icon of Saudi Arabia’s perseverance, religious faith, and family loyalty. His family constantly provided updates about his condition on social media, where he had a sizable social media following. Photographs of his hospital room, painstakingly preserved with the highest quality and level of care by medical staff, and the Routinely recited Quran by his side, became ubiquitous across the Kingdom.
According to Arab News, several prominent clerics and social figures, took the prince’s ordeal as a means to raise consciousness about patience, the sacredness of life, and the potency of prayer.
Region-wide Reaction
Expressions of sympathy and condolences issued from around the Middle East. Leaders from the UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar extended condolences sympathy to the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation issued a statement recognizing the life of Prince Alwaleed as symbolic and acknowledging the strength of his family.
A Legacy of Faith and Grit
Though, Prince Alwaleed never regained consciousness, his story remains a profound emotional mark on the hearts of many. His name has become synonymous with impossible hope—an emblem of a family’s love, faith, and dignity as it sustained a 20-year vigil.
Alwaleed Bin Khaled dies after 20 years in coma, ending an emotional chapter in modern Saudi history and leaving a legacy that goes beyond royal heritage—a human story of perseverance that inspired a entire nation.
