Prince Alwaleed bin Khaled bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, known globally as Saudi Arabia’s ‘Sleeping Prince,’ passed away on Saturday, July 19, after spending nearly 20 years in a coma. He was 36.
A Heartfelt Confirmation
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Prince Khaled bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, his father, confirmed the news of his son’s passing. He wrote, “O reassured soul, return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him], and enter My Paradise… With hearts believing in Allah’s will and decree, and with deep sorrow, we mourn our beloved son.”
{يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ، ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَّرْضِيَّةً، فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي، وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي}
بقلوب مؤمنة بقضاء الله وقدره وببالغ الحزن والأسى ننعى إبننا الغالي
الأمير الوليد بن خالد بن طلال بن عبدالعزيز آل سعود رحمه الله
الذي انتقل… pic.twitter.com/QQBbMWGOOG— خالد بن طلال بن عبد العزيز ( أبو الوليد ) (@allah_cure_dede) July 19, 2025
Background on His Condition
According to a Khaleej Times report, Prince Alwaleed has been in a coma since 2005 following a severe car accident while studying at a military academy in London. A brain hemorrhage during surgery left him unresponsive for the remainder of his life.
Funeral Details
Funeral prayers will be held on Sunday, July 20. For men, it will take place after the Asr prayer at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh. The service for women will be held after the Dhuhr prayer at King Faisal Specialist Hospital. Condolences will be accepted from July 20 to July 22. Men can visit Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s Palace in the Al-Fakhriyah district, while women can visit the palace after Maghrib prayer.
A Father’s Unwavering Devotion
The report stated that Prince Khaled bin Talal, Alwaleed’s father, hoped for his son’s recovery and refused to withdraw life support over the years. Throughout sacred Islamic occasions, from the final nights of Ramadan to Eid, he offered heartfelt prayers for his son, often sharing emotional updates and invocations on X.
In June of this year, on the third day of Eid al-Adha, Prince Khaled visited Alwaleed with his other sons and publicly pleaded for his recovery.
After his accident, Prince Alwaleed was admitted to King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh and placed on a ventilator. His family called in medical experts from around the globe to assess his condition and hopefully revive him, but he never regained consciousness. Though his family occasionally saw small movements that gave them hope, his condition remained unchanged for 20 years, the Khaleej Times report added.
