Lovingly known to his family as Dede, Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, who had been comatose for the past 20 years, passed away on Saturday, July 19, at the age of 36.
The prince was born on April 18, 1989, to Princess al‑Jazi bint Saud Al Saud and Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud. The eldest of four siblings, he went off to military school in London as a teenager, never to return as the same Dede again.
Prince Al-Waleed was in a tragic car crash at the age of 15 in 2005, suffering massive brain hemorrhage and internal bleeding, leaving him in a vegetative coma.
He was transfered to King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, where he remained on life support from 2005 till he passed away. Over the years, many global specialists weighed in as consultants, but unfortunately, there were no real signs of waking up.
His father, Prince Khaled, emphatically refused to withdraw life support, citing faith and divine will. He often shared prayer videos and updates on his X account, declaring his son’s life was in God’s hands. He would decorate his son’s room for different festivals, like Eid and Saudi National Day.
On July 19, he posted on X:
“With hearts believing in Allah’s will and decree… we mourn our beloved son… may Allah have mercy on him.“
Prince Al-Waleed’s funeral was held on Sunday, 20th July, with funeral prayers for men taking place at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque, Riyadh, and at King Faisal Specialist Hospital for women, marking the last chapter of the Sleeping Prince’s life.
