In the luxurious sphere of Saudi royals, one tale stands for its lasting pathos and uncompromising hope: that of Prince Al Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, usually called the “sleeping prince.” For close to two decades, since his horrific car accident in London in 2005, the prince has been unconscious, poised precariously on the edge of life and death, while his relatives hold unwavering watch by his hospital bedside.
Prince Al Waleed, an 18-year-old military science student, suffered a critical brain haemorrhage in an accident. Since then, he has been under constant medical supervision, initially in a Riyadh hospital and now at home on life support. His mother, Princess Mona Riad El Solh (daughter of Lebanon’s first post-independence prime minister), and father, Prince Khaled bin Talal (brother of well-known billionaire investor Prince Al Waleed bin Talal), have not abandoned hope of his recovery.
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A Tale of Hope
The family, in spite of the amazingly prolonged nature of the coma, has also been steadfast, with Prince Khaled having been quoted as resisting recommendations to halt life support. Their optimism has occasionally been lifted by reported as faint moments – the twitch of a hand, a head turn – recorded on film and posted to social media, generating fresh interest and prayer. One of those moments was seen in 2020 when his aunt, Princess Noura bint Talal, posted a video which seemed to reveal him moving his fingers on request. While the medical significance of such movements remains debated, they fuel the family’s faith.
The prince’s situation highlights the immense resources available to the Saudi royal family, allowing for prolonged, state-of-the-art care that would be unimaginable for most. His room resembles an intensive care unit, staffed around the clock. But beyond the riches, the tale is a deeply human one – a story of parental devotion, unshakeable commitment in the face of impossible odds, and the heart-wrenching fact of a young life cut short in tragedy. As the years become decades, the “sleeping prince” is still a reminder of both abiding hope and the vulnerability of life, his silent form a constant reminder of the accident that transformed all.
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