The Saudi prince Al-Waleed Bin Khaled Bin Talal, widely known as the “sleeping prince” of Saudi Arabia for having spent nearly two decades in a coma, died at the age of 36, as his family confirmed during the weekend.
His death, widely shared on social networks, marks the end of a long and tearing a chapter that touched hearts through Saudi Arabia and beyond.
He had been in a coma since 2005, when he was only 15 years old, after a car accident in London. He suffered a serious cerebral hemorrhage and was taken to the medical city of King Abdulaziz in Riyadh.
There, he remained on a fan and in a vegetative state for years. Despite consultations with several specialists, he never regained consciousness.
Announcing his death on social networks, the father of the sleeping prince wrote an Ayah of the Holy Quran: “O quiet soul, return to your Lord, very easy and pleasant [to Him]. Enter my [righteous] servants and enter my paradise.
“With hearts that believe in the will and the decree of God, and with deep sadness and sadness, we cry our beloved son, Prince al-Waleed bin Khalid bin Talal bin Abdulaziz al Saud, may God have mercy on him, deceased today,” he added.
Prince Khalid announced that funeral prayer will take place on Sunday. Mourning gatherings will be held in the next three days – Sunday, Monday and Tuesday – for those who wish to pay tribute, he said.
The Saudi Royal was a military student when the accident occurred.
For two decades, his family stood by his side, rushing to the hope that he returned to life. They took care of him in a medical establishment in Saudi Arabia and often shared updates with the public.
In April of this year, a video on social networks had wrongly said that the prince had woken up. He showed old images of him with added text, saying that he had regained consciousness after 20 years.
The video quickly became viral, believing that the news is true. But he was later confirmed that he had not woken up.
