Why Prince Al-Waleed is known as Saudi Arabia’s ‘Sleeping Prince’

Prince Al-Waleed of Saudi Arabia, known as the ‘Sleeping Prince’, has been in a coma since a 2005 car accident while studying at a military college.

Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal, a member of the Saudi royal family widely known as the “Sleeping Prince”, marked his 36th birthday on April 18, 2025. He has been in a coma for nearly 20 years following a car accident in 2005.

Despite medical advice to end life support, his father declined, holding on to hope for recovery. Prince Al-Waleed, the great-grandson of Saudi Arabia’s founder King Abdulaziz, continues to receive life support in Riyadh, according to The Times of India. His family remains hopeful.

Following his recent birthday, the ‘Sleeping Prince’ drew widespread attention on social media, with many users sharing his photos alongside family members.

What is the story behind ‘Sleeping Prince’?

Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal of Saudi Arabia, often referred to as the ‘Sleeping Prince’, has been in a coma since a road accident in 2005 while studying at a military college. Now 36, he remains unaware of the years gone by, tethered to life through machines at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh.

As reported by Roya News, the prince has been on a ventilator and is fed through a feeding tube for the past two decades.

In 2019, he reportedly showed slight signs of awareness, such as lifting a finger or moving his head, but these gestures did not signal a return to full consciousness.

Despite medical advice to end life support, his father, Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, stood firm in his belief. “If God had wanted him to die in the accident, he would have been in his grave now,” he said, choosing instead to continue the fight for his son’s life.

Is Prince Al-Waleed related to King of Saudi Arabia?

Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal, though a member of the Saudi royal family, is not a direct son or brother of the current monarch.

His grandfather, Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, was one of the many sons of King Abdulaziz Al Saud, the founding monarch of modern Saudi Arabia. This lineage makes Prince Al-Waleed a great-grandson of King Abdulaziz, TOI report added.

Meanwhile, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud—the current ruler—is also a son of King Abdulaziz, making him Prince Al-Waleed’s great-uncle.