Prince Al Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal, known to millions as Saudi Arabia’s “Sleeping Prince”, has died after spending 20 years in a coma, his family announced on Saturday.
A family statement posted on X expressed "profound sadness and sorrow" over the death of the prince. It said his funeral will take place in Riyadh on Sunday.
Over the years, he became a symbol of hope and endurance, with many across the Arab world keeping him in their prayers and wishing for his recovery.
Videos and photographs of Prince Al Waleed connected to a life-support machine have been shared by members of his family over the years. One showed him covered with a Saudi Arabian flag with the words "Our Country is in Our Hearts".
What happened to 'Sleeping Prince' of Saudi Arabia?
Prince Al-Waleed bin Khalid Al-Saud suffered severe brain injuries and internal bleeding in the horrific accident when he was just 15 years old in 2005. Since then, he was kept on a ventilator but he never regained full consciousness. Specialists from America and Spain treated him but he never came out of coma apart from showing little movements.
Prince Al-Waleed was studying at a military college in London when he was involved in the devastating car crash.
After the accident, he was hospitalised at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh where he remained in a coma.
Clips shared on social media in 2020 showed Prince Al-Waleed lifting his fingers as a woman greets him.His father took care of him for the last two decades and opposed withdrawing life support.
Born in April 1990, Prince Al Waleed was the eldest son of Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, a prominent Saudi royal and nephew of billionaire Prince Al Waleed bin Talal.
