Why Prince Al-Waleed is called Saudi Arabia’s 'Sleeping Prince' and has he finally woken up?
The prince has been in coma for the last 20 years after sustaining a brain injury in a car accident in 2005. He is still on a ventilator, dependent on feeding tube, but his condition has shown only little change over the years.
Prince in coma for nearly 20 years
Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal, popularly known as Saudi Arabia’s 'Sleeping Prince' has been in coma for the last 20 years after sustaining a brain injury in a car accident in 2005. The prince marked his 36th birthday on April 18, 2025.
Royal remains in a coma
Following the incident, he was placed on life support at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, where the prince still remains under continuous care. He is still on a ventilator, dependent on feeding tube, but his condition has shown only little change over the years. In 2019, his family had reported small movements, such as the prince raising a finger or tilting his head to a side, but no further progress has been recorded since then. He got injured in a car accident while studying at a military college in the United Kingdom.
Claims of recovery go viral
However, shortly after his recent birthday, a video claiming that the Prince Al-Waleed had finally woken up, began circulating online. In the video a man can be seen, being greeted by his family. The video, however, does not show the prince. It features Saudi businessman and rally driver Yazeed Mohamed Al-Rajhi, who recently recovered from a racing accident during the Baja Jordan rally.
Why was the video false?
Al-Rajhi had sustained spinal fractures during the accident and was hospitalised. Videos of his recovery were shared online, but one of them was falsely linked to the prince’s condition. The picture used in the viral post was indeed of Prince Al-Waleed, but the video content showing him conscious, with claims attached to it are unrelated and incorrect.
Family refuses to end life support
According to TOI, Prince Al-Waleed’s father, Prince Khaled bin Talal, has consistently rejected medical advice to withdraw life support, deciding to fight for his son's life. “If God had wanted him to die in the accident, he would have been in his grave now,” Prince Khaled said in a public statement.
The royal family of Saudi Arabia
The prince's mother, Princess Reema has also reportedly spoken about feeling her son's spirit present with them. Prince Al-Waleed is the great-grandson of King Abdulaziz who was the founder of modern Saudi Arabia. His grandfather, Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, was one of King Abdulaziz’s sons. The current monarch, King Salman is his great-uncle. Every year, on his birthday, social media is filled with messages of hope and prayer from the public.
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